All That Is Left Are Remnants
by DruidFWY
Summary: They were strong enough, yet they continued to seek power. They preached for peace, yet all they wanted was war. They speak of kindness, yet they thrive on cruelty. They speak of life, yet they continued to slaughter each other. And now they were cursed, and they brought this curse upon themselves.
1. Samsara

**AN: This is a sequel...prequel...follow up (whatever you want to call it) to "The Sage and the Four Maidens - Ch2"**

 **DISCLAIMER:** **All characters, and source material are property of their respective owners.**

"Speech"

 **"Empowered Speech"**

* * *

 **Heavenly Sovereign**

His vision cleared, almost as if he had recently awoken from a long nap, as he refocused all he could feel was mild confusion...

He faintly remembered scorched earth...he had been fighting using strength that he thought was inhuman...miracles in their own right. He remembered losing his right arm through this fight, a fight against someone he knew in some way used to be his best friend...a brother in all but blood.

Strange vision that had been...or was it a dream? Nevertheless it was something he decided not to linger on for any longer. For now he had to get back to worrying about more _pressing matters_. He took in a deep breath, and merely calmed himself as he gaze upon the study room that had been built by his predecessors, his ancestors...

The walls, the illustrations, the carvings made of gold, silver, jade and other very precious metals and gems...he idly wondered how much it must have cost to build this study room, let alone the entire complex that had been his home for as long as he remembered.

In fact this raiment, a symbol of his status would likely be worth the price of feeding an entire family for a year. To the maker's credit, although it had been extravagant, the mix of gold, red and green colours weaved into intricate patterns and images...the raiment managed to remain simplistic and comfortable. He remembered his father and his grandfather wearing this.

Once again a symbol of their status, and their responsibilities...

None of these had any effect on him, these aesthetics too gaudy...

He suppose this is not the time to reminisce, not a time to wonder how it would be to live a much more simple life free of worries of the magnitude he was facing. What was the use contemplating about the what-if's if it was impossible for him to be anything less (or more) than what he was?

He had been sitting in front of this well made and expensive table, filled to the brim with scrolls and pieces of paper. Oh yes, he had been going through them...though he was certainly not looking forward to doing so.

Well no use moping about it...

He went through scroll after scroll, papers after papers; using the seal that was to the side of his table for various requests and reports that he had to scrutinise very carefully before doing so. Stress continued to build up, until it reached to a peak when he started reading through scrolls that were of a much grimmer nature.

Rebellion, invasion, unrest, corruption, the topics went on and on; he could feel his weary mind being drained as he went through them...

Though there was one report that caught his eye, he was frustrated...worried perhaps. It is unrealistic however for him to say that he had not been expecting it.

 _Coup_

On the surface, the reason for a coup being even an issue was due to thoughts of injustices and hardships befalling the people of the Empire, which they quickly associate as being the fault of the Imperial Court, and therefore the Imperial family. It was reasonable to conclude that the people had been holding the Imperial Court in very low regard, and it seemed that they had been losing large amounts of faith in him as the ruler of this nation.

With his ears kept open, he noticed that the reason for such an incident to be occurring seemed more than just "fighting the injustice of the Emperor" as what their propaganda seemed to be implying. He knew better, it was a series of events, organised meticulously by individuals whom had the greed for power, attempting to demonise him and his family's rule whilst justifying theirs.

It was coordinated, it was well thought out...with the dukes and lords worsening the living conditions of the people in his nation, all the while calling it his "will"...

He did not have time to contemplate further on the prevailing threat, as not long after he could hear the door to his study open as a person could be heard walking in. He looked up to see who it was.

He saw the visage of a man adorned completely in armour, intricate dark coloured armour that covered the entirety of his skin, whilst a helm and a red mask completely concealed his face and hair. It had been his guardian, the chief of the Imperial Guards. He should feel assured and safe when they were around yet all he could feel was apathy and mild apprehension. Being unable to see one's face has always placed him on edge, without seeing a person's face it is almost impossible to discern what he was thinking.

As the man entered, he gave him a low bow, his sheathed sword held up to his chest as he did.

" _Tenno-sama_ (1)" the individual said, his voice cold and unfeeling.

"What is it?"

"General Sutemaru has arrived; he will be awaiting your arrival at the Imperial Gardens."

"Fine...I will head there soon, now leave me I wish to walk alone." The armoured man gave him a similar bow from before and promptly left his study. Leaving him in his lonesome and providing him some time to think over what his guard has said.

Why did the General want to see him now of all the times? Apprehension started to form in his mind, something did not seem right. Though right now, it had been a product of possible paranoia, his suspicions were as of yet unfounded.

His eyes traced to the sword that was parched at the side of his table, an ornate sword that appeared more akin to a decorative piece rather than an actual functional weapon. He knew better however as he had used it before and at the back of his head, he had inkling that he might need the weapon some time soon.

He unsheathed the blade slightly, and a bright gleam emanated from the well made sword. Satisfied by the state of his weapon, he sheathed it and brought it along as he left the study.

The walk towards the imperial gardens had been an unusually long one; the long and winding hallways of the palace that had been his home for years appeared to be longer and as he approached his meeting place with the field marshal, his apprehension and anxiety grew. So much in fact that he completely disregarded the people who addressed him humbly as he passed them by.

"Mikado-sama!" he heard a voice, the very familiar voice of a woman. A voice that had completely dissipated his pent up anxiety.

It was a voice he could not disregard.

He turned his attention to the source of the voice, and he could feel his mouth twitch upward and the swelling feeling of affection blooming in his heart.

"Kaguyahime, my love." He responded, adoration in his voice...calling out the name of the woman whom he had fallen in love the moment he had first laid eyes on her. The woman whom was the first he had to court and suffer multiple rejections from...the woman who saw him as the man, rather than the Emperor.

Now, she had a warm loving smile on her face, of an intensity that matched his. She remained as perfect as the day he had met her and desperately asked for her hand in marriage.

Her ashen black hair was long and done in a hime style, she still had her snow white skin, and a beautiful red kimono-like dress.

Her amber-coloured eyes...he would always have those beautiful orbs deeply ingrained into his mind and his heart...the orbs that added to her already otherworldly beauty.

Kaguya approached him quickly, and in just a matter of seconds she had closed the gap with him. She gave him a warm embrace and he did as well, both of them shared a gentle kiss.

Kaguya's warm smile quickly turned to a one that spoke of worry as she eyed him quite intensely, though it did not take long for a spark of understanding to bleed into her worried visage. She might have seen the troubled expression that he had on his face... and he did not want her to get involved in such issues.

"There must be a reason you are holding a sword at a time like this Mikado-sama, worried about the General?" Kaguya asked...for just a short moment, he was shocked that she had completely seen through what he was worried about.

But let it be known that Kaguya's qualities were much more than mere beauty alone, her mind had been sharp. If he were to be very honest with himself, much sharper than any minister in his Court, even himself as the Emperor. It would never take long for his lover to understand the issues that he had faced as he ran this nation that was at the brink of war and instability...where he could very well lose control over at any time. She knew there were enemies around them, six other warring nations in fact...and there were hounds within kingdom that would see nothing more that his death.

He sighed upon hearing her admittedly rhetorical question, he nodded, "I'm afraid that you are right my love, as you always are. _Kusanagi_ is merely a precaution in case things get...awry."

A frown formed Kaguya's delicate features, "General Sutemaru...never trusted him since the very first day I set my eyes on him. He's been getting bolder over time, I am sure that he is intending on trying something with this meeting."

Mikado knew what Kaguya had said was completely right, discussions about a coup, unrest in the Empire, the propaganda that had been directed against him...it might even be worse than that. He was not safe here any longer, and Kaguya was certainly going to be dragged into all of this.

He is now fearing the worst, he needed to take precautions for her sake; as he was about to let his love know that the meeting with the General would not be safe and she should not follow him to the gardens, she preempted him.

"If you are asking me to stay away from this meeting, then save it."

"But-" before he could say anything, a withering glare from Kaguya instantly rendered him silent. Like he had said, he would never forget her amber orbs...and the intensity of them whenever she glared at anyone, himself included had often been enough to intimidate and silence many a person. This was no exception.

Unsurprisingly knowing that he was not going to say anything further, the glare subsided and Kaguya's features softened again.

Looks like there was no choice in this regard, if Kaguya had made her decision, come hell or high water, her decision would never change.

To think that she often called him stubborn...

He now headed slowly towards the Imperial Gardens, and as much as he knew that it was a terrible idea, Kaguya was there with him throughout the walk.

Though it seems the walk was not really filled with complete silence, as his lover decided to make her thoughts known.

"You know you really should have killed him off when you had the chance. Sutemaru is a snake, it is only a matter of time when he decides to turn on you." Kaguya whispered to him.

Mikado could not help but chuckle silently, "as perfect as you are Kaguyahime, tact has never been your strong-suit..." Kaguya pouted at what he said. His expression however turned more serious, "it is as you said, Sutemaru is a snake...but he is also a brilliant strategist, and a politician. Even as the Emperor of this nation, I have my hands tied...unable to do much more. I cannot act unless he makes his first act against me. I have always believed patience is a virtue."

He did notice however that Kaguya remained unconvinced at what he said, she then said something that had place a seed of apprehension.

"Snakes like Sutemaru... _they don't aim to overpower the enemy, they aim to take their enemy's power away_...the more time you give them, the more likely they will succeed. This is why I want you to be careful Mikado-sama." This was one of the few rare moments where he witnessed a visage that seemed to shock him. Kaguya, her usual demure and cheerful persona always seemed to morph into a calm, and cold one whenever she gave him advice about the politics of the Imperial Court, and whenever she identified a person she encouraged him to be weary of.

As much as Mikado wanted it to not be true, Kaguya had always been right.

Might have been the reason he survived as long as he did...by listening to her.

"You have always had the sharper mind my love...all I have is hope, hope that it would never devolve into such a state. I have to be the one bearing the burden of ensuring my country does not fall into the brink of war, especially with the other nations at each other's necks. I cannot afford to lose hope...and I still place my trust on the retainers around me to help me stave off the worst-case scenario." he replied wearily.

Kaguya held on to his hand much more firmly, "the six nations, ours included...are on the brink of war. When blood is finally shed, do you think you can place your trust on any of them?"

After what seemed like an eternity, he reached the Imperial Palace, and true enough there was a lone person at the centre of the garden. He was clad in armour as well, but he wore no helmet...

It was strange however to see that there were no escorts or guards in the gardens, in fact there was really no one else there other than himself and Kaguya. He was worried, and he felt the urge to keep his guard up, but this was as of yet still paranoia in his regard...

The armoured person saw his arrival, he had been seemingly unassuming, dark brown coloured hair, brown eyes, and a moustache. The person in armour promptly gave him a low bow of formality, "Tenno-sama, this servant is honoured to have received an audience with you". The man's eyes wandered to Kaguya whom was with him, and he could identify the faintest of frowns form on his face, as well hidden as it was. Nevertheless, he gave her a formal greeting as well of "Hime-sama".

"Tenno-sama, I believe our discussion is one of a more...private and urgent matter, I believe it is prudent that Hime-sama is not present." He spoke.

Mikado shook his head at that 'warning', "she has every right to be here General, you will say nothing more of it." The faint frown of the General intensified slightly, yet he had merely conceded to his declaration.

"As you wish, Tenno-sama". Mikado's eyes wandered to Kaguya, and could see that she had been visibly guarded by the presence of the General, she had glaring a hole into him in a not so subtle manner.

He will have to see what the man wants then.

"So General Sutemaru, what is it that you require my presence under such short notice?" he asked the General.

"It is about the unrest Tenno-sama. There has been talk about whether the Imperial Court, and the Emperor are able to stave off the invading forces of the six other nations. There have also been talks about whether the country should under the rule of a single Imperial Family."

"Save the pointless talk and get on with it, snake." Kaguya replied, loathing evident in her voice. The General was however completely unaffected by her outburst, if anything he could see a smirk grow on his face.

"Get to the point, General." He spoke, his grip on his sword strengthening.

"As you wish Tenno-sama, it is only right after all. So without beating around this proverbial bush, your humble servant is compelled to relay to you the truth about the gravity of the situation at hand. The Imperial Court...cannot sustain the growing population of the Empire, with its current plans. The people, have been expressing a growing desire for expanding the _living space,_ to accommodate the rising population. "

The General's smirk then turned to one of a mild sneer, "Tenno-sama, I am aware that you as well as your predecessors have adopted a more _passive_ role in the upcoming wars between the other nations, but as your servant I personally find your approach to be...outdated."

"In addition to declaring a campaign against the other six nations...the dukes and lords also require _greater expenditure_ to assist in improving the citizens' lives...yet this was also a request that you have disregarded without further advice."

What had been only the three of them soon changed, he could feel multiple presence around the gardens, he could not see them but they were there.

"This, breakdown of Imperial Policy has been very damaging to your influence, and it has been for many years now, since the time of your father. The people, have been demanding for war for many generations now Tenno-sama, and who are you to deprive the people of what they want?" Sutemaru declared, attempting to intimidate the young Emperor into seeing things his way.

It would not work; the one oversight that the General had concerning him was his lack of knowledge of his character, and his personality.

The General also seemed to completely disregard his true knowledge on the what was happening in his country.

"I have eyes and ears across the Empire as well General, and unfortunately what you are contending does not seem to be accurate. It is not the people who are seeking war, it is the lords who are seeking to expand their own influence." He responded to Sutemaru, who in turn visibly frowned, which likely indicated he had been frustrated with the situation.

"Also, contrary to what you have been contending so far, the problems being faced by the people across the Empire is not a "living space" issue like you have said General. We both know the people suffer because of acts of corruption instigated by the ministers and the lords of the land...indulging in their squalor, all the while placing the blame on the Imperial Family and the Court." Mikado continued, the General visibly stiffen.

"Also according to my eyes and ears, it seems that quite a few conspirators that have been captured...had a tendency to reveal that you were the leading force behind these acts." Mikado discretely unsheathed his sword slightly.

A part of him wanted the General to concede and admit that his greed had overcome him, and that he would cease whatever he was planning. He may have learned much under the personal tutelage of his late father, but he had always been idealistic, always hoping that the world was never this bleak, that there was always good in all of them. He had hoped that knowing that Sutemaru had been exposed in front of him, he would confess...he would be lenient.

But that hope had been squashed. As he heard a chuckle from the General, which soon turn into full-blown laughter.

"Oh Tenno-sama, you have a good mind on you, and a good eye. But you know what your problem is? You lay your cards out far too prematurely. Also does not help that you ended up being too...willful to do as you are told." Sutemaru's smile turned vicious.

"It's a shame, if I had known that the son was every bit as uncontrollable as the father, I would have be rid of you both." He could hear thuds all around him, men armed with a variety of weapons, dressed in black now surrounded them.

"Considering the political climate however, I hardly think that the people would be outraged if their 'young tyrant' were to be... _assassinated by freedom fighters_ now would they?"

He could then hear someone rushing up behind him, and the telltale sound of a singing blade.

"Mikado-sama!" Kaguya shouted upon realising what was about to happen.

"If only you had listened since the very beginning Tenno-sama, you and your precious Kaguyahime would not need to die today..." Sutemaru said, a triumphant smirk on his face. He was expecting him to die easily.

Once again, it goes to show that Sutemaru had neglected understanding his opponent a bit more.

He ducked under the swipe by the assassin's blade that would have decapitated him, pulled out Kusanagi and promptly lodged the ornate blade into the assassin's gut. He then promptly remove the blade from the gut and proceeded to slice off the man's head.

Sutemaru's smirk disappeared, a sneer on his face.

"What are you fools waiting for?! Kill him _now_!" the men surrounding them rushed towards him in an instant.

Though instead of worrying about himself, he diverted his attention to his love, she was shaken by the failed attempt at killing him but she remained strong, no panic evident in her demeanour.

"Kaguya, I want you to get away from here, find the Imperial Guards, alert them that there are intruders on the grounds!" he yelled out, parrying a blow from one of the assassins.

"No! I will no-"

" _This is my only command to you as your Emperor!_ " he spoke firmly. To his relief Kaguya nodded and proceeded to flee from the Imperial Gardens, albeit with extreme hesitation. It had been fortunate that the assassins were all focused on killing him at the moment, he hoped that it was possible for him to fend them off until the Imperial Guard arrives.

He managed to dodge and parry numerous strikes from the would-be assassins, and soon enough had been able to dispatch around five of them. There had been around twenty assassins whom surrounded him, and now ten remained. It seems his achievement had instilled some hesitance on the remaining ten as they started to give him a wide berth, preferring to circle him.

Sutemaru was rightfully annoyed, the snake might have expected him to be killed off quite quickly and by the looks of it, it seemed he did not expect for the young Emperor to be capable enough to defend himself in a fight.

Soon enough he could hear more footsteps approaching the Imperial Gardens, he then identified individuals in Imperial Guard uniforms making their way into the gardens. A wave of relief had reached his mind as he was certain that he and Kaguya would be safe for the time being.

The Imperial Guards surrounded all the individuals in a circle, the General, himself and his assailants. He felt a wave of relief, but it was noticeably suppressed since Sutemaru remained unaffected by being surrounded. In fact, he seemed to remain arrogant even.

"Sutemaru, plotting to assassinate me is a grave offence. What do you have to say in your defense?" he asked out loud, but relief turned to fear as the general merely laughed mockingly.

He did not need to speculate what was the reason for the General's unexpected reaction to find out that the Imperial Guard had their attention turned to him. They unsheathed and ready their weapons, with him as the target instead of the assailants and the traitorous General.

He was shocked, but more importantly he was appalled...these were meant to be the loyal and faithful guardians of the Imperial Court, guardians of his family...

Idealism got the best of him again

Sutemaru's laughter stopped and replacing it was a victorious smirk at his realisation, "You just had to make things so difficult Tenno-sama, if you had accepted the advice of those much _wiser_ than you, it would not have reached to this _grave_ a situation!"

The General appraised the supposedly loyal Imperial Guards whom were now raising their weapons against the individual they had sworn to protect, "as for these men here, I am wealthy after all, getting the Imperial Guard to see things _my_ way was only a matter of how much. Those who are a little too hard-headed...well...they had come to regret that decision."

He heard noises from behind him, the sound of a woman struggling...he recognised that voice very well, and thus he was compelled to look into the direction of the sound.

He had expected it to happen, but it did not mean he felt any less fear or worry. He was after all the one who asked her to gather the Imperial Guard's attention.

Kaguya was held tightly by a guard, her struggle was clear to see yet it seemed she was overpowered by the armoured man.

"Oh don't worry Tenno-sama, she will not die...at least not until you do. I would very much prefer for her to witness how a person too stubborn for his own good meets his death...emperor or not." he noticed the lecherous face of Sutemaru as he said that. It was clear what the General wanted.

"If there was ever one thing you really had a good judgement of Tenno-sama, is that you have a good eye on women."

...He will not allow that. At that point in time, he had no other desire than to end the life of this traiterous General.

"Kill him, this time get it done." Sutemaru commanded, at this the remaining assassins as well as a portion of the Imperial Guard converged, intending to cut him down.

They tried to cut him down, and with each attempt, another would-be killer fell by his blade as he weaved through every person who crossed him as he approached the traitorous general. All he could think was to end Sutemaru's life and no one would stop him from doing so.

As he continued to weave through the masses of assassins and traitorous Imperial Guards, he noticed Sutemaru's arrogant expression began to wane.

It did not take long for him to close the distance between them; Sutemaru was not bearing a visage of a person in fear. Upon taking out the last traitorous Imperial Guard that was blocking his way, he was now almost arms length towards and he had Kusanagi raised, intending to finally cut the General Down.

"Cut me down now, and you would certainly know what will happen to your precious Kaguyahime now won't you?!" Sutemaru cried out, and those words caused him to freeze. In his rage he had forgotten about his love, and the fact she was still in the arms of one of the traitor Guards.

The General regained his victorious smirk, but he noticed that a layer of sweat had formed on his face, he could feel his teeth grind, as anger burned.

"You coward...lacking the decency to at least strike me down yourself." He growled out.

"I am no coward _Tenno-sama_ , I am merely prudent. Would be counter-productive if I had set things in motion, only to be killed off wouldn't I? You are becoming too much of a problem now, it seems that any hope of a fast resolution is now undermined by your simple refusal to just keel over and die."

He could hear heavier footsteps behind him, the sound had been familiar...

"A good thing that the Imperial Court tends to attract the best fighters as guardians of its hallowed halls, wouldn't you agree Tenno-sama?"

He turned around again, and he witnessed the familiar form of the Head of the Imperial Guards, the person whom have sworn to protect him after his father's death. His red mask that covered his face would be unmistakeable, a face that he had been accustomed to since his childhood.

Which was why it struck him the most when the figure held his blade, and was now facing him as an enemy...

Behind him, tens of Imperial Guards witnessed the scene, yet they kept a distance, acting akin to observers.

"Death's Hand, the strongest warrior of the Empire...it had been difficult to convince him to see reason, but with that little demonstration you have just put out...I would say his mind has finally made up."

It had shaken him, it had placed him in despair, he heard in the background as Kaguya had been yelling towards him to focus...to not be affected by this. Yes she had warned him...it was easy for a person to betray another, to always be watchful, to always expect the worst. He often called her paranoid, and a pessimist in certain times...

She was right again...

"Why are you doing this Death's Hand?" he asked his once protector.

The imposing figure remained still at the question, emotion undiscernible behind his red mask. His subsequent response had been simple...

"Apologies _Tenno-sama_ , the thrill of battle is what I value most. The offer forwarded by the General is too tempting to ignore, he is offering me total war, as he leads the Empire's armies against the other six nations. War is my calling, and this peace that you are attempting to preserve, sickens me." He raised his weapon, a pair of large swords; preparing himself to engage him.

"What I witness before me is an opponent that can offer me a good battle. Emperor or not, it matters little to me...Now come, show me what the Emperor is truly capable of in battle."

There was no changing Death's Hand's mind in this regard, he would have to take him down in any way he can. Fear seeped in, he was not the Empire's strongest for nothing, and he feared that he would not be able to beat him.

He would try any way.

He readied Kusanagi, and both circled each other; waiting for the other to make the move. He did not wait long as his once guardian rushed towards him, intending to land a swipe to his head in a downward movement. Using the most of his reflexes, he dodged sideways as Death's Hand's blade hit the ground creating a small shockwave.

Seeing an opening, he went on the offensive but his strike was effortlessly parried by the armoured behemoth of a man. Despite his size, Death's Hand was swift and agile enough to dodge and land blow after blow against him. As his blade collided with Kusanagi, the sheer force behind the behemoth's blow had been enough to launch him a few metres back, and leaving a large surge of pain throughout his arm.

Death's Hand did not slow down, he continued to land blow after blow, strike after strike. He continued to block the strikes with increasing difficulty. His defence would break soon, it was inevitable under this furious onslaught. He heard Kaguya's concerned screams as he struggled under this inevitability.

In an instant, before he could appreciate what had happened, he felt his grip over Kusanagi being forcefully broken through a parry from Death's Hand thereby leaving him wide open to a finishing blow.

A situation his opponent had certainly exploited completely as he felt his gut being pierced by the very large blade of the battle-hungry behemoth. That blow left him in a shock, for a moment he had been dazed, unable to comprehend that a killing blow had landed on him.

" _Mikado-sama!"_ he heard the voice, the voice of the woman he loved. Kaguya must have witnessed the entire moment.

The pain she must have felt...

The pain she was about to feel at the hands of Sutemaru...

...he only regretted that he was not strong enough to protect her...what use was he as an Emperor if he could not protect his most precious person.

As these final thoughts played out, he could hear the victorious laughter of Sutemaru...as much as he had hoped that such... _evil_ would not triumph, it did. He could hear the screams of Kaguya as she mourned and struggled, that snake of a man would have his way with her...

"Take the precious Kaguyahime away, such a beauty is too valuable to kill of-" he heard Sutemaru said from his fading hearing, but he had paused.

Why did he pause?

"What in the nine realms of hell..."he heard the general spoke, albeit much less boisterous, a little more shock.

" _You filth..._ " he heard Kaguya whispered to his shock...her voice laced with venom and hate.

"S _o filled...with greed, filled with hate, and the desire to kill your own kind...humanity will never change_ " there was silence across the garden, he was slowly bleeding out...yet he could hear everything clearly.

" _Petty reasons fuel your hunger destruction, lies to justify the sins you have done..."_

In his fading vision, as he had his eyes on Kaguya, he saw the ashen black hair he had come to know so well...bleeding to white. Her skin turned paler, whiter...

" _You deserve nothing short of **death**." _ That word resounded loudly, even for him...

Suddenly, all hell broke loose, he heard the a scream of pain, it was that of a man; his fading vision identified that Kaguya had broken free of her captor's grip, in a rather violent manner.

He faintly saw the sight of blood spraying out...

"I-it's a **demon**!" some of the men screamed out. The shuffling of footsteps resounded as he heard men running away.

Sutemaru now shouted out, his voice now panic-filled, "what are you fools doing?! Kill her, kill her now!"

The next few minutes had been a blur, his vision continued to fade, all he could hear were sounds of slashing, clinging of swords and screams of pain and death. He could discern silhouettes of men falling one by one, it sounded like a massacre...

A massacre single-handedly caused by his lover.

Soon enough he heard the voice of Death's Hand,

"Now this is a battle worth dying for." He could hear and feel his heavy footsteps rushing towards where he knew Kaguya was...

The sound of blades singing through the air, as if hitting nothing but air, that however did not last as the sounds of hard and heavy blunt strikes against armour resounded.

The squirting sound could be heard, then those of heavy blades falling to the ground, and finally a heavy body falling to the ground.

"Slow her down you fools!" Sutemaru panic ridden voice resounded, the shuffling of footsteps could then be heard that started to fade as time went on, followed by the sounds of death of what he suppose were Sutemaru's guards.

Then it all stopped...there was silence, he could smell the metallic stench of blood in the air. He could feel blood coming out from his mouth...

Soon however he felt soft hands...gently holding on to him, he felt his head being lifted towards someone, the one with snow white hair. His blurred vision focused slightly, and what he had seen surprised him.

The visage he had witnessed was a woman with pale white hair and skin, her eyes were also of a pale lavender, veins that surfaced at the side of her eyes were rapidly fading until all that is left was unblemished skin. Small brown horns also adorned both sides of her head.

He knew in an instant it was Kaguya, even with how she currently looked, he would not mistake her face.

She must have noticed his eyes widened at her appearance, as she gave him a sad smile, tears freely flowing from her otherworldly eyes.

"This is my true form Mikado-sama...the form I was born with...I suppose I must have horrified you my love..."

But to him, she was still the Kaguyahime he loved, this form despite being different from when he had seen her, remained equally beautiful...equally breathtaking...

He raised his wavering hand to caress her cheeks, much to Kaguya's surprise. He was struggling to get words out of his mouth...

"Nonsense...Kaguyahime...no matter how...different...you look...you will still be that beautiful...princess I have devoted myself to marry." he tried to give her a smile, no matter how much effort it seemed to have taken.

More tears fell from Kaguya's cheeks, "I'm sorry I could not gather the strength earlier...I could have stopped all of this from happening..." she grabbed his outstretched hand that was on her cheek.

"Now your sons...will not live to see their father when they are birthed to this world...because I was too weak..." her voice breaking slightly.

"No, I have known you for some time now my love...you are strong, stronger than me...you always find a way, and you will always be right. You can handle...without me." He coughed hard, more blood came out from his mouth.

He knew his time was short, so he mustered all the strength he could to relay what he needed to tell his beloved. "Kaguyahime, the _God Tree_...the _fruit_...a secret kept within the Imperial Family for...countless generations..." he coughed harder as he continued to speak.

"Take it with you...when you leave the Palace...Sutemaru...no one must get their hands on it. Do...whatever you must to keep it from them. It's only a matter of time...until they find out the...power it holds." His hand dropped from her cheeks, as he made a motion that indicated she should leave soon.

"You don't...have much time until...more Imperial Guards arrive. You must...leave now." He forced out, to which Kaguya have him a defiant glare.

"I am not leaving you." Kaguya replied.

He chuckled softly, he would like to leave with her...but once again, his hopes would only remain unfulfilled.

"One day my love...perhaps _one day_ we might meet again...if Samsara is kind..." He felt his senses dulling, his vision blurring.

He could barely feel Kaguya violently shaking him, demanding him not to fall into an eternal sleep.

" **Mikado!"**

That was the last thing he heard before everything faded to black.

* * *

 **Samsara**

His eyes opened again, what greeted his eyes was the shine of the new moon...for some reason he had felt a sensation akin to longing as he stared into its beauty.

He was lying on the ground, and all around him he could smell scorched earth as well as the smell of fresh blood. There was a strong sensation of pain across his body, which was strongest at his right arm.

It was at that point he remembered what had happened, and he remembered who he is.

He is Naruto Uzumaki...

And he had just fought with someone whom he had considered a brother in all but blood. Though right now, he could not say for certain whether they were unrelated by blood any longer, no matter how distant.

He remembered sealing...Kaguya Otsutsuki into the moon again after she had broken out.

He remembered how the Fourth Shinobi War came to an end the moment Kaguya was imprisoned into the moon again.

For some reason, he felt a tears flow out of his eyes...he felt strangely saddened.

Why did he feel sad? Why did sealing the woman whom was so close to killing him, brought such an emotion?

"You're awfully quiet _dobe_..."he heard a voice to his right, he turned towards the source of the voice.

Oh yeah, Sasuke...that fight he just had with him...

His best friend gave him a questioning look, "something's troubling you, you're not your usual self."

He was not his usual self?

"Is that so..." was all he could reply with. Sasuke in return seemed to become increasingly annoyed by his non-answer.

"Well out with it _dobe_...did our fight took your intelligence down a notch? As if it wasn't low to begin with..." Sasuke remarked, perhaps intending to get a rile out of him.

Naruto knew it would have...but for some reason he felt no anger, no annoyance...

"Can't say I can tell you the reason Sasuke", the Uchiha's brow raised at the lack of calling him 'teme', but seemed to grunt in a dismissive manner, indicating his unwillingness to question him further.

There was a strange silence, Naruto looked towards the moon again; thoughts running through his head, thoughts that he knew would not ever run through him moments before.

"Sasuke..." he spoke, getting the Uchiha's attention.

"Do you truly believe that...humanity will always be at war? That peace can only last for so long?"

This question shocked the Uchiha.

"All of this...all the war over the years, the violence...the pain we have felt...we are all to blame isn't it? It is because of _our_ flaws that we are to suffer for all eternity?" as he continued to speak, Sasuke remained silent.

"It is just so...ingrained into the way we think...after every war there is a period of peace...and then it starts all over again."

His gaze never left the moon that was created by the Chibaku Tensei, where the tailed beasts and Kaguya were.

"I'm tired Sasuke...I'm tired of these cycles of hate, and death." he finally spoke.

There was a pause, this time it was Sasuke's turn to reply to what he said.

* * *

 **Ending the Grudge**

"What happened to you Naruto?" was his simple question. To the Uchiha this seemed so out-of-character for his knuckleheaded friend to say. For as long as he knew Naruto, he had always been idealistic, always seeing the best in everyone, always having that goofy grin on his face.

It shocked him to see that blonde idiot look so...sombre.

What shocked him further was a sudden strong surge of chakra, in fact calling it strong would have been an understatement as the density of the chakra was on the verge of choking him into unconsciousness. He focused his vision towards Naruto, and noticed that instead of blue, red or golden chakra that he was normally accustomed seeing his friend possess...it had taken a constantly shifting hue of white and black.

He could witness how the right arm that had once been missing reformed back in mere seconds.

As quickly as the chakra surge started it had stopped, and all that was left is silence. Sasuke did not have time to contemplate on what had happened when he felt the shifting to his side, and saw that Naruto had miraculously stood up.

His arm fully healed, and there were no signs of exhaustion present. Naruto had his back faced towards him at the moment, but when he had turned...he had been met with a sight that he had not thought was possible.

What had once been his friend's piercing blue eyes were gone, replacing it were the orbs that he had been all to familiar with. The metallic purple, the ripples, the faint glow that emanated barely suppressed power...

Yet Naruto's eyes were different, it bore characteristics of the Rinne-Sharingan that Kaguya had as her third eye...the only difference was the purple hue rather than deep crimson of the Rabbit Goddess'.

Whatever questions he might have had on top of what he had asked were stilled, in a way he understood what had happened to Naruto...why he seemed so different after their fight. That did now however mean that he was still speechless, that he was able to comprehend what and how it had happened.

As if confirming the thoughts that now manifested in his head, the Uchiha heard his friend's answer to his question.

"I wizened up Sasuke."

The Uchiha hummed at Naruto's response, for a moment he observed how the blonde continued to gaze towards the moon. He would have assumed that he was still contemplating on the imprisoned bijuu and whether he would release them from it...but with how _strange_ Naruto's expression was, he could not say for sure.

Nevertheless he asked, "thinking about the bijuu Naruto?" all he got was silence, was he that deep in thought.

It took him awhile to respond, but he did not expect the response to take the form of a question, "do you think that the world might be better off, if the bijuu remain sealed?"

His questions continued to bewilder the Uchiha, but he muttered a yes to the question. Naruto merely hummed in response, and the response he gave the Uchiha shocked him further.

"Alright...leave the Bijuu sealed in the Chibaku Tensei Sasuke..."

He had to process what the blonde Knucklehead had just uttered, it seemed so surreal that he started to wonder whether this was some parody of a nightmare, or was he actually dead...

"So what...that fight we had, was it all for nothing? Is that it?! You are just going to pull back now after what you have told me all those years?!" Sasuke mustered all the strength he had to shout out at the person he had seen as his genuine friend.

"What do you expect me to do then Sasuke? To keep making the same mistake I have made all these years?! I know when I am wrong, and I am not afraid to admit that you were right about the bijuu. If they continue to wander this world it is only a matter of time they will be used as weapons of war by the shinobi in the future!"

Naruto actually admitted that...he was _right_?

"This whole conflict between Indra and Asura, I have come to realise that they are pointless. Neither of them have done anything wrong, for they both tried to establish peace. They both have their flaws, but in the end we have no right to decide on who is the one who erred more."

He saw Naruto turning his attention back to him, the blonde then approached him and place his now mended right hand towards the stump of his left hand. Black-white chakra came out from Naruto's palm, and he could feel the stump regenerating slowly.

As Naruto healed his missing arm, he eyed him intensely.

"A compromise Sasuke, I will not attempt to free the bijuu that you have sealed into the Chibaku Tensei. In return, you will not kill _any_ Kage. Deprive them of such power, they will be weakened for generations...to weak to start another war any time soon. But kill of their leaders...there will only be chaos." Naruto reasoned.

As his limb continued to regenerate, Sasuke took the opportunity to contemplate of what Naruto had suggested. In more ways than one it was a sound suggestion, and more importantly, it was a compromise that seemed to more likely secure peace for a longer period of time.

Indeed without the Kages...the villages would be in chaos, there would be power struggles, there would be anarchy. More people would suffer, more death would ensue.

He berated himself for not realising the repercussions...

"Well Sasuke?" Naruto asked, he noticed that his arms had been fully healed, yet he remained drained and exhausted

The Uchiha sighed, too exhausted to question it any further.

"All right Naruto...you've got me, I admit that you are right...you've won." He mumbled out...admitting that he was the dumber one. He could feel a blow to his pride merely by saying that, but indeed there was no hiding it.

He noticed however that Naruto's familiar grin returned.

"This is not a matter of who has won _Teme_ , we were both right, and we were both wrong. We were just many levels of hard-headed to only finally admitting it now."

Naruto stood up, and turned his back to the Uchiha before finally beginning to walk in a strolling pace away from him.

"Where are you going _dobe_?!" he asked loud enough for the blonde to hear.

"I just need to gather my thoughts. And decide what I want to do for the future."

"What about your dream?! You kept saying you wanted to be Hokage!"

Naruto halted for a brief moment, turning his head to him. His answer would leave him confused for the many years to come.

"I see no point in being Hokage anymore. You could say I grew out of that too. The future Hokage is Konoha's problem now, maybe Kakashi-sensei..."

Sasuke no longer asked any further questions as the _once_ knuckleheaded blonde friend of his walked further into the forest, further away from the battleground.

He would have chased after him, asked him more questions...but he lacked the energy to do so. Perhaps when he has recovered, he could find Naruto and clear things out.

Sasuke would never see his friend again.

* * *

 **Reincarnation**

He continued to walk, further and further from where he had left his best friend. His thoughts were muddled, and he struggled to explain what had happened to him.

He knew that was not what he would have said, he knew this was not him yet in some strange parody...it felt as if his actions were entirely his.

Suffice to say his thoughts were a mess. He was tempted to break down at the ridiculousness of it all had it not continued to look upwards into the sky, where the moon was shining brightly. He took a few deep breaths, and attempted to empty his mind...he would worry about it later on if he needed to. For now, he just could not muster the strength to delve deeper into these strange visions and recollections.

Naruto reached a river, clear water had been flowing; he took the opportunity to splash some of it on his face...perhaps this might help empty his mind.

Though as much as he told himself to do so, he could not suppress the recollections that plagued him...

Two names that continued to replay over and over again into his head.

One was that of _Kaguyahime_

The other was _Mikado_.

He saw his reflection in the clear waters of the river, he saw how his eyes had lost their azure blue and how they were now a familiar rippled purple that seemed akin to Kaguya's Rinne-Sharingan.

He completely disregarded it.

* * *

 **AN:**

 **(1) Tenno-sama: "Heavenly sovereign", the usual manner to refer to an Emperor in Japan**

 **This chapter is inspired mostly by best girl in RWBY, "Tale of the Bamboo-cutter", "Tale of Princess Kaguya" (that Ghibli film that was so close yet so far to me) a bit of "Jade Empire" and finally a bit of...the "Seven Warring Nations" of Chinese History.**

 **I kinda wanted condense this to a one-shot, but it seems plans have changed, can't write what I want if I skim.** **This part was the hardest to write tbh since it's prologue-ish and I need it in.**

 **...in fact with all the liberties I am taking for this, the whole fic might just be plain hard.**

 **I still want to write it anyway, so I can't complain. There is a Ch2 when I get to it.**


	2. Reincarnation

**AN: The next chapter**

 **DISCLAIMER: A** **ll characters, and source material are property of their respective owners.**

"Speech"

 **"Empowered speech/Jutsu"**

* * *

 **A Possible Request**

He had lost count of how many times he had visited this exceedingly small village in the fringes of the Empire, it could have been nine?

Maybe ten visits...

Honestly he had not been counting them. True enough the time he had spent here had brought upon many a frowns in the eyes of his advisers and those whom were much older and 'experienced' than him. Admittedly they had mentioned his...obsession in a rather gentle manner, given the possible consequences of offending someone of his status...

Yet for the ninth...or maybe tenth time he had decided to ignore their advice.

He knew his advisers meant well, especially given that he _is_ the Emperor, forged by his ancestors before him for quite a few generations now. Indeed he knew he was responsible enough to be aware that these visits to this very village yielded no real benefit, but then again an Emperor could govern no matter where he is.

As for the reason he had been obsessed with this seemingly value-less endeavour, he undoubtedly knew it was anything but pointless.

For he _was_ to gain a woman's hand in marriage...and as of yet he had been...very unsuccessful.

A woman by the name of Kaguya, the daughter of a bamboo cutter, at least that was what those around him had informed him. Like the dukes and lords of his dominion as well as the other nations, they came far and wide to meet what was perhaps the most beautiful woman in the lands. They had visited this very village, for the chance to wed her.

Each and every one of them failed, and each and every one of them gave up.

All except him.

Upon his request for her hand the first time he had met her, she had quite bluntly rejected it...completely disregarding she had rejected the request from the Emperor no less. It had been even more impressive as she remained unaffected when one of his personal guards started to threaten her for her lack of said respect.

Then again this is coming from a woman who asked lords and dukes for something as outlandish as a "coloured jewel from a dragon's neck" or a "legandary robe of a fire-rat".

Yes, a simple rejection had been much better than something like _that_.

He had to calm _his_ guard down from doing anything _he_ would come to regret.

People wondered why he had not given up, if anything else, why he became further motivated. Well unlike those who came before him, there was always something else about Kaguya that interested him, more than any insanity-inducing beauty could ever do to interest him.

He wanted to get to know the woman so bold as to refuse a request from the Emperor, or rather a woman so bold as to completely disregard the status he held.

It was on this day, on one of his many visits that he was once again in the bamboo-cutter's house, to meet with the woman whom he had fallen in love with the very first moment he had set eyes on her. Although he had been unsuccessful in gaining her affection...as of yet he had convinced himself, he had found her company to be unusually desirable.

He had hoped that she would not be as cold-hearted towards him on this matter that he would be bringing up...

He was now in a room, a cup of tea served to him, and facing him had been Kaguya herself. It was a welcome change from her usual refusal to entertain his presence in the previous visits.

He had a bright grin on his face, whilst the woman in front of him seemed to have her usual scowl on hers, a scowl she seemed to wear whenever he visited. Her bright Amber orbs eyed him with a mix mild annoyance and some other emotion that he did not really know...

They had been staring at each other for a few minutes now, but to him there really was nothing else he would rather do.

Despite what _his advisors might try to say_.

She on the other hand, decided to break the silence with the Emperor.

"You are really not going to give up on this now are you?" she asked calmly yet bluntly, some might say hazardously tactlessly considering exactly _who_ she was talking to.

He laughed at her remark, as he always did since the first day she had spoken to him.

"What kind of man would I be, if I give up on fulfilling my goals so easily Kaguyahime?" he responded, his grin widened when she heard her groan at being called by her given 'pet-name'.

Nevertheless she responded to what might have been a rhetorical question, "I would say you would be a very reasonable man to give up already, like the rest of them. I have lost count of how many times I have rejected your proposal already..."

"Now when did I say that I was asking for your hand in marriage Hime?" he asked, to which Kaguya looked back at him in surprise and confusion.

"Did you not ask for my hand in marriage the first day you had arrived? Perhaps even the second, third and fourth day as well? I recalled you were almost to the point of whining by the forth." she queried in slight amusement, she raised her brow slightly.

He chuckled awkwardly and nodded, "Yes, I did. You have refused quite strongly and by that time...lets just say I got the message.. and I have therefore accepted your refusal graciously!", the answer seemed to cause Kaguya's eyes to twitch slightly.

"Well, pray tell why are you here then _Mikado-sama?!"_ she asked, annoyance seemed much more evident in her voice.

"I am here to ask you whether you would be keen on friendship?" he asked simply. This answer completely evaporated all annoyance on Kaguya's expression, and all that was left was confusion and surprise.

She was silent for but a moment, that was until she finally responded albeit with a lot less of her usual cold unfriendliness.

"...why?", that was all she asked.

He shrugged in response, though he could feel his shoulders slumped quite noticeably, "lets just say, the Imperial Court has never been a place where _actual_ friendships can blossom. This is especially so with someone of my...position. People would more likely place false smiles or fake gestures of respect because they fear an Emperor's wrath, no matter how much I tell them otherwise."

As he explained his reason to Kaguya, he could not help but reminisce the years he had spent in the Palace. The servants during his younger days were the closest he had to friends and even then...they often feared him as the Late Emperor's "Sole Heir".

Meeting Kaguya had been a completely different experience altogether, indeed she completely disregarded who he is and it had been apparent since the day he met her. She was willing to be honest to him, perhaps a little bit on the blunt side...more importantly she had seen him as a person, rather than a ruler.

"Indeed I might have first arrived here to ask for your hand in marriage but, I stayed so that I could ask for your hand in friendship." he scratched the back of his head, suddenly feeling somewhat awkward.

"Never really had friends come to think of it, if you are willing...you might be my first one. I know you might be wondering what kind of loser of a ruler I am to have no-" he spoke somewhat sheepishly, but he was silenced when Kaguya interrupted him...once again devoid of tact.

"If that is why you are here, why did you not say anything all these time?!" she asked.

"You almost always interrupted my by saying you were 'not interested' in what I have to say, that was even before I could even ask you anything. I am actually surprised that you decided to allow me to linger in your home for as long as you did...But honestly, you never really gave me much opportunity to speak." he replied honestly. He noticed Kaguya looked to the side as he gave his answer, a mild blush formed on her face out of embarrassment.

He found that expression to be adorable.

Kaguya did not take long to suppress the reddening of her cheeks, upon which she looked back at him with a sigh...her expression noticeably softer than before.

"You're hopeless aren't you Mikado?" she asked, likely in a rhetorical manner. After a brief pause, Kaguya finally gave him her answer, albeit trying to appear as calm and cool as she always seemed to portray herself all these times.

"I suppose...I wouldn't mind, being your friend since you have asked so nicely. To be fair I think you are not as...deplorable and arrogant as I thought you would be..." she continued, "you're actually not that bad of a person too...and I don't have any friends myself..." she mumbled softly, hoping that he did not listen on the last part.

Unfortunately he did, and he could feel a smile form on his face. Kaguya saw his expression, and she had promptly formed her cold exterior.

"Lets just get this straight...I am doing _you_ a favour! I-it's not like I really want to be your friend of anything like that it's just my sympathy goes to you, there's nothing more to it, got it?!" it seemed that despite what she had said however, it was too half-hearted for her to actually mean it.

Nevertheless he laughed at her response, "whatever you say _hime_!" he replied, gaining a scowl from Kaguya.

"Are you patronising me?" she asked in a deathly calm manner. Her amber eyes seemed to glow faintly as she leveled a glare at the Emperor.

He could feel a thin layer of sweat at the decidedly dangerous glare of the woman.

"Even as the Emperor, I would never dare to!" he answered hastily. This seemed to satisfy Kaguya, as her leer subsided, the frightening aura seemed to have resided.

After a brief silence, he decided to voice out again, "well...I hope we can get along then K _aguyahime_."

She merely snorted in a mildly unladylike fashion, "oh if we didn't get along, you would have known about it..."

"What makes you say that?" he asked

"Why do you think I didn't ask you to do some impossible task for me like the other dukes who asked for my hand? Definitely had nothing to do with the fact you are the Emperor."

His eyes widened as what she said,

"Oh..." was his response.

* * *

 **Departure**

He placed the worn out Hitai-ate on the Hokage's desk, there was a brief silence between the two individuals in the room, one was Naruto Uzumaki, and the other was the sixth Hokage of Konoha, and the person he had seen as a teacher for a good few years of his life.

He had his eyes squinted to prevent others from seeing the permanent changes to them. It would have been inconvenient for people to start talking.

Kakashi Hatake eyed the forehead protector, his expression indiscernible. Soon enough he looked up towards his once student.

"Are you sure about this Naruto? Are you willing to give up on this? Give up on everything that you had dreamed towards?" Kakashi asked, his voice seemed hushed, and Naruto could identify that it sounded akin to forlorn.

"I am sure sensei. I would rather much prefer to disassociate myself from any Hidden village if I can help it." was his answer.

The sixth Hokage sighed upon hearing his response, but he still attempted to dissuade Naruto to proceed with his plans.

"You will be leaving everyone...do you not understand what your friends...your _precious people_ would feel with you gone?!" Kakashi's voice raised slightly, perhaps his decision had a larger impact that he first thought.

"A lot of people will be hurt to see you leave the village Naruto, Sakura, even Sasuke. What about Hinata?! What would she think when you are gone?!"

Naruto expected that outburst.

"I am aware of that sensei, but despite what you say...me leaving Konoha would be for the best. This village does not need the power I hold, no village does."

He also felt he needed to clarify the last issue Kakashi brought up, "As for Hinata...honestly I am aware of her feelings, but that is the extent of it. It is one sided, more admiration that true love in fact. She knows too little of me other than a handful of moments we have met and talked, it would do her good for me to be set thing straight with her."

Kakashi appeared shocked at hearing that, "What if she is serious? She will be heartbroken to know that Naruto..."

"The inevitable result of unrequited love sensei. I will not be better off to pretend that I feel the same way." Naruto answered.

Silence reigned again, but Naruto decided to break it by changing the topic.

"I _know_ with you as Hokage sensei, Konoha would be protected and there will be peace among the villages. With a bit of hope, it might last for a good few generations after the war we just had if you pick your successors well." he smiled at the Hokage, whom seemed somewhat close to tears but had managed to hold it down.

Naruto started to turn towards the door out of the Hokage tower, but he was about to leave, he heard his ex-sensei speak out.

"You do realise Naruto...that if you leave Konoha now, you are never to return."

He nodded at the question, "would not have it any other way."

A brief pause, and Kakashi finally responded.

"I suppose all I can say, as a sensei to his student is farewell, and take care...Naruto."

He gave his sensei a grin, "I could say the same for you too Kakashi-sensei. I think you would make a great Hokage."

The doors out of the Hokage office opened, before he left the room, Naruto spoke out loud.

"Take care Hokage-sama." at that the doors finally closed.

That was the last time Naruto Uzumaki would be in the Hokage tower, and Konoha in peaceful terms.

* * *

 **Undying**

"Kurama?" Naruto called out to the being in the cage, in his mindscape which was once a sewer...now it was just an endless sand dune...the cage that had kept his tenant imprisoned had been gone. Leaving it free to navigate in it if the Bijuu saw fit.

Silence...

This had been the case since his fight with Sasuke...that had been many years ago...ever since he had these _visions_ , and ever since he had manifested the eyes of Shinju, there had been a noticeable change in his tenant.

The chakra that manifested into a Nine-Tailed Fox remained silent and unmoving as it stood in front of him...still as a statue, in fact one might say the fox might as well have been a statue at this state. The behemoth was expressionless...emotionless...merely a husk made of material chakra at this point.

Everything about the fox remained unchanged with the exception of its eyes. Instead of its blood-red slitted fiery orbs that held limitless rage and fury, Kurama's eyes were that of a familiar blank rippled purple. Naruto knew that it must have something to do with the eyes that was now a part of him, but as of now he was unsure why it had such an effect on the bijuu.

It was almost as if the bijuu has lost its sentience. As if the soul of the Nine Tailed Fox was no longer there...

"There is no point in continuing this Naruto, Kurama has lost its consciousness, it is merely a husk to contain the nine-tails worth of chakra _"_ a voice from beside him, one of the few voices he had heard quite frequently now in his mindscape.

"You never really told me exactly how a Bijuu, which you have created is capable of losing sentience in such a way Hagoromo-san." Naruto looked to his side and noticed that indeed, the one named Hagoromo Otsutsuki, the man hailed as the _first_ Rikudo Sennin had been standing next to him, eyeing the fox as well.

"It has something to do with your eyes Naruto...something to do with the chakra that had begun to manifest within you."

"Do you know anything about it then?" Naruto asked Hagoromo

The first Sage shook his head, eliciting an annoyed sigh from the blonde. That being said, there must be a reason as to why he was here right now in his mind-scape.

"Why are you here?" he voiced his thoughts.

Hagoromo eyed him intensely for a moment before he gave his response, "you have been acting strange for no few years already Naruto, I have continued to notice that you had eyed the moon, where Kaguya Otsutsuki has been sealed. It almost seem to me like you are having _second thoughts_ on keeping her sealed against your better judgement..."

For some reason, what the first sage had said seemed to annoy him quite noticeably...

"She is _your_ mother Hagoromo-san, would you not have second thoughts about keeping the woman who birthed you to this world sealed for all eternity?!" Naruto retorted.

For some strange reason he had been increasingly...distressed upon holding on to the thought that Kaguya remained sealed up in the moon, helplessly and without escape...it had started off as faint feelings of remorse or doubt, but ever since he had these _visions_ of a life he could not recall, the life of this man called _Mikado_ , the feelings continued to intensify to that of regret and sadness.

There were times that he had actually wept as he looked towards the full moon...

"She would hold the entirety of the human race under her control! She would take away every single shinobi's ability to use _chakra_! You have seen what she could have done! Mother or not, it is for the best that she remains out of reach from the people of the Elemental Nations!" Hagoromo responded heatedly.

Naruto scowled at what the first sage said, "she only did what she did to stop humanity from destroying themselves through the many wars the species has waged, and destroying this world with it!"

"She **wanted to keep all the power of Shinju for herself!** She believes that chakra is to be hers alone and no one has right to it! She _hungers_ for power!" Hagoromo shouted out in return.

Before silence had a chance of taking over, Naruto finally spoke, replacing the shouts he had given was a whisper.

"Look at humanity now then Hagoromo-san, look at what they have done _over the centuries_ after you have given them chakra. Are they not hungry for more power? Are they the _virtuous_ , peaceful species that you have hoped they would be?"

This drove the first sage to silence, true enough for the ages since he had bestowed chakra to humanity, there had always been war, there had always been bloodshed. What he had intended to be a gift to help protect themselves and a means for enlightenment, became a tool for wanton destruction.

"Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely Hagoromo-san. You have given an easily corruptible species the power akin to Gods. You should have listened to your mother, you should have allowed her to hold on to power that you had no right to give."

Hagoromo glared at Naruto in response, "and what makes you think...the she would not be corrupted by the power that she had acquired from eating the _fruit?_ "

That was a genuine question, how _did_ he know Kaguya would not be corrupted by the absolute power of shinjuu flowing in her veins and encompassed her being?

He did not know the how...he realised he just knew.

There was no point lingering here any longer...if this argument continued, it might turn physical. He did not mind engaging Hagoromo in combat, but considering this was his mind-scape, it would be too hazardous.

"This conversation is over Hagoromo-san, leave when you will." Naruto finally declared. Just as he was about to leave his mind-scape, Hagoromo interrupted him again.

"I will say again Naruto, _do not_ even consider releasing Kaguya from the ChibakuTensei. Do whatever you must in your power to ensure that never happens."

Naruto chuckled humourlessly, "everything in my power? Much like how you were willing to imprison your own mother into your gut in the past?".

He left Hagoromo with that last statement.

* * *

 **Cycle Repeating**

He had now returned to the material world from his mindscape, he found himself sitting on the _engawa_ (1) of the shrine he had erected some twenty years ago. He could say quite safely that ever since his last fight with the Uchiha, and since his last words with Kakashi, he had not set foot in Konoha. It had been his home, but that was now in the past.

Although he had made it clear to the then Hokage that he would not be found, that did not stop his friends from attempting to drag him back to the village, some strange irony that had been. Suffice to say they never found him, and in time they had either given up or passed on with age. It was then he had decided to settle down into a much simpler life. Preferably a life free of his shinobi past.

Days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months, and then to years and finally decades. He had finally lost count of how many years had flown past since the end of the fourth war...just about every person he knew, acquaintance or friends had passed on with old age. In a way, he envied them as the ability to live forever is not as pleasant as what people like the very late Orochimaru would lead them to believe.

Here he was, mostly unchanged ever since he reached adulthood. His biological clock seemed to stop around the age of twenty to twenty five...he did not really know...as he was, unmoving, unchanging. Time started to lose significance to him by his first century of what he could safely conclude had been eternal life.

True to his words to Hagoromo in his mindscape, the years had completely eroded all thoughts of peace across the Elemental Nations. The villages, once significantly weakened as a result of the fourth great war had not regained their strength. With strength, they had the means to fight, and with over a century of peace, the nations and the hidden villages regained the strength they had lost and more. The horrors of war now a distant memory, humanity as a species turned restless...find an excuse to wage war, and an excuse to kill each other.

True he had wanted this cycle to be different, but he knew this was nothing more than wishful thinking on his part. The generation that was weary of the bloodshed and the massacre that was the fourth great war had for most parts died off from over the generations.

Really all that was left are a bunch of children, starting their bloodshed all over gain...and for petty reasons.

Truly, mortality had a very short memory-span...

Just as he contemplated on the time that was long gone, and mistakes being repeated, Naruto's eyes caught the sight of smoke in the horizon. The smoke seemed to have originated from one of the small towns that were close by to his shrine, a place that he frequented once in awhile, and even recently in fact.

He had been dreading moments like these but considering the _climate_ of the world as it is, it should not come as a surprise to anyone.

Town had been on the fringes of Waterfall Country, is it any wonder why it was being attacked?

The thought of whether to intervene in this situation mulled through his head for a moment, it is unlikely that anyone would be able to survive whatever it was that had been happening at the town right now.

He however hoped for the best.

He stood up and in moments, disappeared from the shrine.

* * *

 **Cinder**

The buildings were on fire, this was the result of a large group of Konoha shinobi as they torched every standing building indiscriminately; bodies of men and women littered the streets, from the militia guards whom attempted and failed to protect the town, through to the young and old too weak to resist. There were a handful of townspeople still alive, though it is truly a question as to whether they were lucky that they were still breathing. They were huddled to one side, each and everyone of them terrified and sorrowful at the death and the imminent danger they would face.

The Konoha Shinobi, continued to search every part of the small town, killing off those fit enough to fight. There were a handful whom attempted to escape and were running as fast as their legs could handle, yet their efforts were in vain.

Attempts at running were often met with a resounding bang, and their bodies fell to the ground limply. Scream resounded as the sudden loud noise startled the surviving townsfolk.

The Konoha Shinobi merely laughed and cheered at the entire ordeal, there was no protest nor outrage out of any of them for the indiscriminate killings. They also cheered at the sheer _delight_ of using a weapon that just been made standard issue across the entire shinobi force chunin and up.

"War, heh as much as they remain the same, they have changed." the shinobi whom killed one of the people who tried to escape held on to a long barreled weapon, smoke still evident from the hole at the tip of the barrel.

He raised the weapon to his face, a cruel smile on his face, "gunpowder, it's like having chakra without needing to know how to use it! Just about anyone has the power to kill with something like this!" awe was present in his voice.

"Makes the killing all the more easier in the hands of a shinobi!" he continued, as he approached one of the few survivors they had rounded up. It was a young man, perhaps in his late teens. He was beaten up and there was a deep kunai wound at the side of his legs. His face filled with anger, and hate towards the gathered shinobi.

"And just when I thought I'd seen it all..." with a twitch of his hand, the barreled weapon morphed into a bladed weapon, like a chokuto.

"It lets me do this..."

In a blink of an eye, he struck the once ranged weapon towards the young man, the victim's head sliced cleanly from his body. The boy's eyes were wide open, his hateful glare still remaining even in death.

"I am _loving_ this war." he chuckled darkly at those last words. As he had gone on his short ramble and observation, the other Konoha shinobi remained silent, preferring to wait till he was done.

When it seemed it had been the case, one of the other shinobi voiced out a question.

"Commander, what do you want us to do with these survivors?" he gestured towards the group.

At that question, the apparent commander of the Konoha shinobi looked back towards his apparent subordinate, his voice contained barely suppressed glee.

"Well since they are all conveniently gathered here it makes things really easy! Kill them all, the Hokage after all wants to send a message to Waterfall country for their refusal to accept our annexation offer. This will be a good message..." upon hearing that, the surviving townspeople started to panic and beg for their life. The cries and screams of mercy fell unto deaf ears, even when some of the Konoha shinobi seemed hesitant to do the deed they voiced no protest.

Eventually however, a handful of the shinobi ended their cries.

 **Katon: Gokyaku no Jutsu**

Large balls of fire came out from the mouths of a few, and collided towards the gathered crowd. The sounds of pained screams as the flames burned their flesh could be heard, the screams of women, children and the weak. Throughout this ordeal, most of the shinobi were either apathetic or in glee.

Those whom were disgusted by the act remained silent, too afraid to object.

The screams died down, until all that was left had been the sound of burning flesh and structures. For just a short moment there was silence, as the Konoha shinobi remained where they were. Some were proud of what they had done, and some not so yet they did nothing to stop it. They truly left no survivors when they raided this village. Indeed some knew there was absolutely no need to have done it...to kill every single person here.

But for the sake of relaying their message on behalf of _their_ village, they had no choice...that would have been what they had told themselves

Silence broke, as the commander of the Konoha shinobi squad breathed a resounding sigh, akin to a sigh of satisfaction.

"Well, that's that then. That will give Waterfall the message they need, doubt they would ignore it now. Lets go, all this is making me a little hungry..." he declared loudly.

As the group prepared to leave after dealing all these death and destruction, they heard the sound of footsteps; the footsteps of a single person. They paused at the sound of a new visitor.

"How could you do this..." the voice of a man, barely a whisper. All shinobi turned their attention to the source of the voice.

To see a young man, his face down as if trying to stifle tears that was building up. From the crack in his voice, and the shaking of his body, it all seemed reasonable to believe that was exactly what he was doing.

The commander's eyebrows raised slightly, but a twisted grin grew on his face as the blade in his hand morphed into a gun once again. Must be some boy returning to see his home destroyed. The Hokage did say no survivors were to be left, he would need to complete that objective now wouldn't he?

But just for kicks, he might just have some fun in riling up the boy a bit before he quite harshly put him down.

"Oh? Whatever do you mean, boy?" the commander entertained his question in a condescending manner, completely oblivious to the aura that faintly radiated from the person in front of him.

"They...they were innocent people; people who showed you no ill will, people who posed no threat to you...there was no reason to kill them...how could you have massacred them without even the slightest hint of remorse?" the young man asked, his voice still strained, sorrowful.

He idly noted that the young man's hand was holding on to a shakujo, a monk perhaps...he also noted that his grip on the staff seemed to tighten until the whites of his knuckles could be seen. His hands were shaking, probably from the rage, not that he could blame him.

Though it's not like a single young monk could do anything against tens of Konoha Shinobi armed with the most modern and sophisticated weapons...

The commander only chuckled, deciding to entertain the passionate young monk who seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, "Remorse?" he chuckled at that word, "what kind of question is that boy?! The nations of the Elemental Countries are at war with each other, and you are here asking _why_ we kill without _remorse?!_ "

The young monk retorted instantly, his voice continued to be strained, yet there was a underlying rage building up. "So war gives you enough reason to do what you did? Not just people who can stand and fight in retaliation...but women...children?! "

He pointed his weapon at the young man in front of him, the monk was starting to annoy him, "why don't _you_ tell me what else is new?! This is what is means to be human! We fight, we kill, we do all that we can to gain power, we butcher other just so we end up on top! When has humanity ever truly care about distinction between the strong and the weak when the stakes are high?"

He armed the weapon, now it only took a pull of a trigger to release the projectile and in turn kill the seemingly hapless person.

"But I suppose you won't be living long enough to lose those blind idealisms of yours." with that the commander laughed, before finally pulling the trigger. A resounding bang erupted.

The commander expected the projectile to leave the barrel at immensely high speeds, and had expected the bullet to land hit the young man's head and that would be the end of it.

Instead the weapon merely exploded in his hands, turning it into a mess of gore. It took him a few seconds to register what had just happened.

But when it did, he merely screamed in pain, the same scream of agony that came from the people he had ordered to massacre. He looked from his now destroyed limb towards the man he had tried to kill.

"I suppose you are right, conflict has always been part of human nature..." the monk said.

Looking back at him were orbs that were both terrible and awe-inspiring, the eyes that were forgotten over the years and he himself had an inkling of what it was yet could not truly recall what it was. The rippled purple orbs looked towards him, tranquil fury emanated from it to the extent it seemed like god himself was judging him.

"Which is why you have shown me how humanity is a far cry from redemption...you have shown me that leniency will get you nowhere."

The man in front of him no longer seemed to be weeping, his face was impassive, expressionless. But he knew it was more than that, he knew the rage that was coming from the person in front of him. It disturbed him, and it brought out panic like he had never experienced before.

"F-fuck! What are you people waiting for? Kill him now!" the commander ordered his men, and they promptly responded. Some shinobi tossed kunai and shuriken towards the ripple-eyed man, some cast an array of destructive jutsu towards him, and some unholstered their new weapons and fired at him, sounds akin to thunder resounded.

They were met with a sight that shook them, that eroded any confidence they had.

The kunai and shuriken seemed to be knocked back by forces unknown, various elemental jutsus changed direction. The small metal projectiles that were expelled from the gunpowder weapons seemed to collide with an invisible force and fell towards the ground harmlessly. The monk stood there unmoving, the tranquil fury in his eyes ever present, as the chakra that now surrounded him started to affect the shinobi in front of him.

Ten metallic spheres formed behind the monk.

"You have opened my eyes thoroughly, you have showed me the extent of my mistakes, the extent of my unfounded leniency. It is about time I set things straight."

The metallic spheres launched themselves towards the various Konoha shinobi present, with each one vaporized upon making contact with the spheres. Some tried to run as fast as they could, yet they could not outrun the homing spheres.

A few shinobi thought it a better choice to go on the offensive and charged the monk, though their efforts would be the death of them as well.

Handful of shinobi were now close enough to engage the young monk, they brandished kunai or shifted their weapons to melee form, they were hoping that the monk would be overwhelmed by the intensity of their assault. Unfortunately no such easy victory would be had against him.

The monk weaved through the swipes and stabs by the many shinobi. Strike after strike hit nothing but air; in short moments, each and every shinobi felt blunt strikes that landed on their skulls and their gut. The monk used his shakujo as a weapon, and with each opening the shinobi made after every strike that landed on nothing, they fell before so much as an acknowledgement that their efforts to cut down the monk failed.

The counter-onslaught had been overwhelming, the apparent monk's mastery over his weapon, both the shakujo and the metallic spheres had been frightening. The spheres continued to claim victim after victim as more shinobi disintegrated in ash upon physical contact with the spheres. Some of said spheres channeled every element known by shinobi and burned, smashed, decimated what had been tens to hundreds of shinobi in the raiding group.

"Commander if we continue any further, we will all die!" one of the shinobi cried out.

In time the shinobi found it futile to press the attack, and decided to pull back with clear intention of taking flight.

"You will go nowhere." the monk's voice resounded, more declaration than a threat.

Chakra chains erupted from the back of the monk, heading towards the shinobi attempting to escape from imminent death, and it ended up impaling each and every one of them at various locations. Enough to completely immobilize them, but not enough to kill. Cries of pain and panic resounded, begs for mercy could be heard

But the words they heard soon after would be their last sensation...

 **Ningendo: Jihi no Senju (2)**

The chains started to absorb the souls of the impaled shinobi, and it did not take long until all that was left were lifeless husks. The chains dissipated and the fresh corpses now fell to the ground, motionless.

Just like than, in mere seconds, the entire group of Konoha shinobi were killed off.

All except for the commander, whom did not enter combat throughout the entire ordeal. The fear that now seeped into his very being had been so overwhelming that he had almost forgotten about his destroyed arm.

As the commander saw the rippled eyes turn its vengeful gaze towards him...he could not help but beg for mercy.

Beg he did, he prostrated himself, making multitudes of promises that he would change himself, that he repented, anything that could perhaps allow him to keep his life.

Though as he went on and on with his empty words...he was thoroughly shocked to silence when the monk appeared right in front of him in an instant. The monk was mere inches from him, and all he could focus on was those fury-filled orbs, he begs louder, yet it did not seem that the monk was interested in any notion of mercy at that very moment.

He felt a palm rest on his head, and a faint pulling sensation coming from it.

* * *

Naruto felt anger, yet for some reason he did not feel hate...the only thought that ran through his mind as he had put down the crowd of shinobi had been disgust and disappointment.

Indeed he felt all the disappointment he could possibly feel, for he had placed so much hope that massacres like these would never happen again, that these needless death-mongering and twisted justifications for such actions would never rear its sickening head...destroying the world with it.

As he contemplated, his attention turned to the commander, the sole survivor of his wrath by his non-participation towards suppressing him. His face had merely fueled his rage...the shameless begging just so he could have even the most remote chance to avoid judgement had filled him with fury.

This wretch needed no mercy for he gave none to those who similarly begged for it.

The placed his palm on the commander's head, he could see the the confusion marred on the his face, but no fear subsided from his expression.

"P-Please...I will repent! All I ask is for one chance, please...be benevolent!" the commander continued to beg.

Repent? Benevolence? Those words sounded so foreign being uttered from such a puss of a person.

"You ask...for mercy? Yet you have shown no mercy to others...You have... _butchered_ the defenseless, the weak...the innocent young without care and without remorse. You _revel_ in such deeds, and given the chance and the opportunity you would do so again." at this the commander stuttered, trying to _justify_ his actions in some way.

For his village...it had been his orders...other people like him had done the same...the excuses went on and on...

The sage could not help but shake his head in disdain, had he any doubts of what he was about to do before, it would have already been extinguished.

 **Ningendo**

He felt the man's tainted soul tether itself to his hand, and slowly he started to pull the person's soul from his body. It did not take long for the sage to do so and for a loud thud of the now hollow carcass to fall towards the ground.

Naruto now eyed the ethereal form that was the man's soul, there was one more thing that he felt obligated to do. It was insignificant in the whole scheme of things, but nevertheless one less wretch in this world would always help.

"You are beyond repentance." the sage stated simply.

A screech of pain resounded, as the ethereal form started to burn in a pure black flame. The spirit of the man he had no interest in knowing the name of was slowly but surely being destroyed in its entirety, it's entire existence being cleansed from this world by the black flames. Suffice to say, agony would have been the last sensation that wretch would have felt before all that was left of him was this motionless carcass.

With the deed done...there was now silence, with only the sound of burning rubble being apparent. The sage felt the anger slowly dissipated...and all that was left was the a feeling of hollowness...of despair.

"Rain." he muttered, letting a large pulse of chakra surround the area. Upon doing so, the clouds above started to darken, and in time droplets of rain started to fall to the earth. The drizzle soon turned to heavy rain, so intense that the burning rubble and fires were extinguished in seconds.

The rain continued on as all that was left of the village and its inhabitants were cinders and corpses.

Naruto took this time to mull over his thoughts.

Over a century had passed and through that time a small part of him wanted to hold on to hope. The decades after the Fourth Great war seemed to help him hold on to that hope. The various countries and villages across the elemental nations had experienced peace...indeed he should have known that this was merely an interlude after the last great catastrophe, yet he wanted to believe that this was something more than that.

He wanted to believe that humanity would could in some possibility transcend or at least suppress their urge for conflict, yet as the decades continue to pass...he would bear witness to the next ugly cycle.

His ideals continued to waver over the years and what he had witnessed at this very moment merely added to the swelling disillusionment that he had so unwillingly allowed to spread in his mind.

He knew what the dead commander said had been the truth, humanity would be unable to overcome their inherent limitations, their urge for violence, for greed...self-centeredness and narcicissm formed their fundamental characteristics as mortals. Those who are able to, by some miracle overcome these limitations are few, merely a fraction of a fraction of a minority of humanity.

Forgetting history would doom humanity to repeating it again, but it seems even with the knowledge of history, it had become no deterrent to endless cycle of brutality.

Naruto felt the overwhelming urge to give up, the thawing in his mind demanding him to prevent the species that he was a part of from continuing this path of self-destruction, and the destruction of the world in its process.

That was the reason he fought _her_ after all.

He had faith that humanity could improve, could change for the better, that they deserved another chance to redeem ages worth of damage.

Yet for one last time...he suppressed this urge...gave humanity a benefit of a doubt. At least just for the moment.

Memories from the shinobi at the very least gave him that motivation...

He knew a Kage summit was to take place in the coming days... _if_ he could just convince the Kages to stand down and forge a peace, even how fragile it would be...he was willing to withhold whatever judgement he was sure to bring upon them.

It would give him hope...that would be good...

 _If only they would just listen..._

 _Though by the end of the day he knew she was right. She was always right._

* * *

(1) Wooden strip of flooring immediately before windows and storm shutters

(2) Human path: Thousand arms of Mercy

 **AN: Busy with stuff irl, so it took a little longer to get this chapter written. This chapter is really neither here nor there, a bit of bridging before the big stuff happens.**

 **Wanted to get this out as soon as I can though.**

 **Mostly inspired by "Tale of the Bamboo Cutter", pretty obvious where exactly.**


	3. God Fruit

**AN: Busy with stuff irl and finally got some time now. This is what I have just before irl happened, so here's a short ch.**

 **DISCLAIMER: All characters, and source material are property of their respective owners.**

"Speech"

* * *

 **God Fruit**

He descended deeper into the centre of the Imperial Palace, his hands firmly holding on to Kaguya, the woman he loved, and now the woman he had finally wed. As to where the both of them were going...

It had been even more puzzling that wherever they were going, there were no guards with them and it was at a very ungodly hour on top of that.

Kaguya certainly did not seem to have any clue evidenced by the confused expression that marred her face.

He on the other hand, knew exactly where they were heading towards, as well as _why_.

"Mikado, I cannot help but think that you are acting very peculiar..." Kaguya noted as she continued to be led by him.

"How so Hime?" he asked idly...a little to preoccupied with his thoughts to appreciate exactly why she observed that. His preoccupation shattered as he felt a sharp pain coming from the hand that was holding on to Kaguya. He looked back only to see said woman pinching him rather hard, annoyance evident on her amber orbs.

" _Like so."_ was her response. Judging from her expression as he looked back at her, she was obviously demanding some explanation on where and why they were going to wherever they were going.

"Look hime...this is very important to me, I will explain everything to you once we have reached our destination." Kaguya seemed temporarily satisfied with the response, and soon enough they continued their walk.

It took a few more minutes before the path ahead became significantly darker, the walls, floors and the surrounding were now made of cold stone. There were torches on the side of the walls that provided some mild lighting of the path ahead. Kaguya must have acknowledged the gradual change in environment, as she made her thoughts known again.

"And I thought the monolith of a Palace looked antiquated...this part looks thoroughly ancient..."

He nodded at her response.

"How long exactly have these been here Mikado?"

"Since the time of the First Emperor if I had to guess Hime..." he answered simply.

Soon enough, they arrived at their destination...a very large intricately carved door made completely of stone. There seemed to be an equally intricate locking mechanism on it, and at the centre of the mechanism was glowing markings that resembled a ripple with nine tomoe.

Mikado let go of Kaguya's hands and approached the behemoth of a door, at that point he took out a dagger and was about to make a cut on his palm

"What are you doing?" Kaguya asked rather loudly, concern in her voice.

"This door is blood-sealed, which means I-"

"Yeah _that's_ pretty obvious Mikado, what I mean is why are you seconds from making such a large cut on your palm?!" Kaguya asked in an incredulous manner.

At this he paused, contemplating her words...soon he answered, "b-because my father did the same when he opened this door many years ago?" he responded uncertainly...

Kaguya's expression formed a deadpan,

"The blood-seal just needs a small sample of your family's blood wouldn't it?"

"Y-yes, my father said it only needed a little..."

"Then _why_ are you going out of your way to hurt yourself badly exactly? Did you bother to think that through by any chance?"

He was silent...indeed why was he planning to go overboard?

"No...I never gave that detail much thought?" he answered uncertainly again. His lover gave a loud exasperated sigh at his response.

"Well your father was being a little too melodramatic then." she said simply.

"I suppose he was..." he looked down slight, silent for a moment...honestly it was kind of embarrassing that he never really thought about it until Kaguya mentioned it.

"Well don't just stand there, make a small prick on your thumb, and rub it on the door!" Kaguya broke his silence with a stern...order.

"Yes Hime." Kaguya huffed at his response...he would have if her were in her shoes to be honest.

His expression now turned serious, he made a small cut of his thumb and allowed some blood to flow out before he rubbed the appendage on the glowing seal. Upon doing so, the seal pulsed before fading. The locks on the stone door started to rotate, which took a good few seconds. The stone door now slowly lowered itself into the ground, as Mikado and Kaguya now could see what was beyond it.

Both of them entered the chamber, Mikado noted that the view in front of him had not changed much in the years, whilst Kaguya seemed slightly at awe and confused at the same time.

The chamber was huge, spanning at least a few hundred metres; filling that room was a large green field, surrounded by flowing water. At the centre of the field had been a tree, it was very large tree at that. Hovering above it was a sphere of light that illuminated the entire chamber akin to the sun illuminating the world outside.

Mikado led Kaguya towards the tree through a paved path that connected the field to the stone door. It did not take long for them to reach the centre of the clearing, where the lone tree was.

To Mikado, the tree certainly did not change over the years, everything remained just the way it was since his father took him here years ago. Strong...unyielding...

To his relief, the sole fruit of the tree remained there, unpicked and untouched. It would have been a palpable cause for panic if the fruit had not been there.

Mikado heard a loud coughing noise, and he looked towards it. True enough, Kaguya lost her awed stupor, and her eyes were gleaming with curiosity, demanding an explanation which he said he would give.

"Hime tell me, what do you know about _Shinju_ , The God Tree?" Kaguya seemed surprised to be asked a question, but answered his question nevertheless.

"Stories about it are mostly myths and legends, my parents told me about it. It was said that the time it first bore fruit was during the time of the First Emperor thousands of years ago, when famines and wars had caused the deaths of countless." Kaguya seemed to think harder as she continued.

"According to that legend, the First Emperor ate the fruit of the God Tree...and with the power he gained, ended all wars with the overwhelming power he had gained, and brought an end to the famine that plagued the lands through powers that could bend the very natures, and even reality itself. He forged an Empire in his name, that lasted until now." Kaguya finished.

Mikado chuckled at the retelling of the legend, "sums up the tale of my ancestor pretty well if I say so myself."

Kaguya frowned, "honestly I always thought it was just a tall tale.." she mumbled softly, much to his amusement. Mikado headed towards where the fruit was firmly attached, and motioned for her to follow. When she was right next to him, he held out the strange looking fruit towards his lover.

Kaguya's head tilted slightly in confusion, an expression that Mikado found adorable. He could imagine the gears in her head turning, as she continued to eye the fruit. In seconds, all confusion was lost...as her amber orbs widened significantly at the right conclusion he knew she would have reached.

"It was no tall tale was it?" Kaguya asked simply.

"As far as I know, it was not." he answered.

"Who else knows about this?" she asked another question.

"After my father's death, only you and me. My father, and his father before him warned me that the _Shinju_ is a secret meant to be held within the Otsutsuki Family...the Imperial Family...never to be told to anyone else. " he answered again.

Kaguya stayed silent for a moment, he could strangely see uncertainty in her eyes, she was confused again? Before he could ask her what was the matter, her head abruptly turned towards him, an action which surprised him. He could see her questioning expression, yet for some reason it seemed a lot less assertive...more hesitant.

"Why are you showing me this Mikado-sama? Why am I deserving of such a secret?" she asked softly, he had been surprised by how...bashful she had sounded.

He could not help but grin at her question, a question he effortlessly knew the answer of, "It is because I trust _you_ Kaguyahime. Although it has not been long since our wedding day, but you are my most precious person and I love you deeply. It is only right for me to share with you this secret!".

Mikado could see his lover seemed deep in thought, it was almost as if she had been contemplating hard on something he knew not what it was about. Though that came to pass in due time, as her expression hardened.

" _Why_ do I need to know this Mikado?" Kaguya questioned, he could see her intelligent eyes firmly set on his. He felt nervous under her intense stare.

"B-because I thought it's only right that I-" Kaguya stare now hardened to a glare, a glare that had never for once cease to intimidate him...

" _Why_ do I need to know this?" she asked the exact same question again...her voice intoned an unwillingness to ask again.

He always thought that Kaguya was sharp, and when she wanted something...she would not stop until she got her hands on it be it information or anything else.

That was always something he found to have the most trouble with about Kaguya...but it was also what he adored about her...

"I wanted you to know about the God Tree in case something happens to me..." he answered.

"...elaborate..." she led tersely.

He sighed as he explained, "I am...afraid...I am afraid about this coming war between us and the six other nations that have broken off from the Empire. I am afraid of the conflicts that have been brewing within the Empire. I am merely cautious, if I end up being a victim to fate...I would at least want reassurance that someone I care and trust will know what must be done to prevent the God Fruit from falling into the wrong hands..."

He now stared into Kaguya's amber orbs, "you my love, are the only person I trust with my life, and you are the only person I trust with the Otsutsuki Family's secret. I need..I want you to know _everything_ there is to know about my family."

Mikado sighed again after confessing the reason for his insistence on letting Kaguya know of this secret. Kaguya remained silent throughout his explanation, mulling over everything that he had said. For a moment he saw sadness in her expression, he did not want to tell her this possibility until it really happened...the possibility of his death...but she wanted to know and he had no right to withhold it from her.

"I thought it would be along the lines of that..." she whispered.

Kaguya's melancholic expression soon morphed to calm determination. Her hands grasped on to his.

"You...will... _not_...die."

"That is merely an _if_ , you are a master over your own fate. You _will_ not die, not if I can help it. I am willing to destroy this world if need be...burn everything to cinders...if it means you are safe." Mikado had been shocked by the conviction in her voice. He could see faint tears falling from her eyes...

Although could not bear the thought of her crying...he felt _happy_ that she was willing to cry for him.

Mikado did not realise that he could love Kaguya any more than he did, but it seems he was wrong. He smile at the thought, and soon enough his smile turned into a grin.

He laughed, and this action seemed to have annoyed Kaguya,

"What is so funny!?" Kaguya shouted, uncharacteristic from her usually calm and collected...albeit blunt personality.

He stifled his laughter, "I just find it ironic, that you are willing to be idealistic for a change! You normally berate me about being idealistic." Kaguya glared at him for a moment, before relenting.

"I just cannot stand the thought of losing you Mikado...just please...don't you ever die and leave me all alone." she replied to his jest with a surprisingly heartfelt response.

He had never seen Kaguya so _vulnerable_ before, he could never imagine to be able to see the cold princess being so anything but strong. Indeed now he felt guilty for saying what he said.

"No matter what happens, I will not leave you Kaguyahime, even if we may part in the future, it will never be for eternity. That much I will promise you." he consoled his lover...he could not say for sure whether he would be able to truly keep this promise even if he is the Emperor, but he knows damn well he would move mountains to get back to Kaguya if they were _ever_ separated.

Kaguya wiped the tears from her eyes, and soon enough the calm and strong façade he had known so well returned. She wore a light smirk on her face soon after.

"Move mountains...melodramatic aren't you Mikado-sama?" she replied, her voice cool, yet held a slightly playful tone to it.

"But not as bad as threatening to destroy the world _hime_." He retorted.

"Given such power, I would do so in a heartbeat idiot."

"I could say the same for myself, with or without the power to do so."

A comfortable silence fell between them, as he and Kaguya rested on the side of the _Shinju_ , hands intertwined. For a moment they seemed at peace, not willing to part. He had hoped that this moment would last forever...unfortunately time would wait for nothing, man or otherwise...

" _If_ the worst comes to pass Mikado, what do you want me to do with the fruit?" Kaguya asked him, the question he needed to give her an answer on.

He once again knew what must be said.

"Anything that you see fit, Hime." his answer was short.

Kaguya looked towards him, her amber coloured eyes widened,

"anything?"

"Anything."

"Even..."

"If you feel it the best decision, do it without hesitation." he left no room for uncertainty.

Kaguya was silent again, but that silence did not last long.

"You really think so highly of me?" she asked him, for which he chuckled again.

"You are more than just the woman I love Kaguya, more than merely the most beautiful woman of the lands. You are wise and you are smart, wiser than me...smarter than me. I have absolute faith in you if the time ever comes. Even if the rest of the world questions what you do, I will not." he notice Kaguya's cheeks reddened from hearing what he said.

What he said to her was no mere compliments, he knew for a fact that whatever she decides...it would be for the best.

"If that is what you wish Mikado-sama...I can only hope it would never reach to that..."

Kaguya's head rested on his shoulder, as she allowed her eyes to close.

"I hope so too, but if there was ever one thing you have told me time and time again, hope leads to disappointment." he whispered to the resting princess. Uncertain whether she heard it or not.

"But that didn't, not even for one moment stopped me from hoping now did it _hime_?"

* * *

 **AN: With a little luck, might be able to get more mood for future chapters, there's too much shit that is still planned for this.**

 **I am also trying to get this wrapped up before Volume 4 comes out.**

 **So until then.**


	4. Enemies of Mine

**AN: Wew this took way too long to get this part done. Volume 4 is coming out soonish so I'm still going to try to wrap this up before that goes full swing.**

"Speech"

 **"Jutsu/Empowered Speech** "

 _Subconscious/Thoughts/Memories_

 **DISCLAIMER: All characters, and source material are intellectual property of their respective owners.**

* * *

 **Iron Country**

Not much has changed since the last time he was here, in fact if here were completely honest with himself it seemed as if Tetsu no Kuni _looked_ like it was trapped in a time capsule. The frozen landscape, the somewhat oppressive feeling that radiated from the ancient structures...none of those were any different.

Yet he could not really say the same for the people who lingered here...the current generation of swordsmen and warriors that manned this ancient country's equally ancient fortresses and towers.

It had not been readily apparent, and just about any person would not have been able to detect the nuances of the the current generation of samurai from the previous ones. Perhaps it might have been due to the fact that the nuances were just so very well concealed, too subtle...they wore almost the same armour that they had adorned when he last visited, the banners were the same...

It wasn't really the progression of weapons that were of issue either, admittedly they seemed to have requisitioned the melee/firearm hybrid that had become almost of a ...trademark for Konoha shinobi...

It was more the _policy_ aspect of how Iron Country's samurai had changed.

During the time of the Fourth Great War, samurai of Tetsu no Kuni were truly impartial...neutral in every sense of the word, and possessed a strong and unyielding principle to never take a side. Something that even in his younger days impressed him even if his idealisms compelled him to feel irked about it in the past.

In some aspects, the generations that came after had tried to adhere to the old beliefs...yet once again in his eyes, the changes were very much apparent...

Indeed they were impartial...until there was the highest bidder...

Impartiality made way for partiality provided someone had the means to change it...it just so happens the highest bidder in this current age had been the same one whom had provided the samurai with the most advanced weaponry.

Konoha, they were the strongest...they were the richest...it was through bribery that the samurai had abandoned their impartiality even if they adopted a pretense of being so. The pretense was effective enough, that it appeared that having a summit for villages and countries in the brink of war in Tetsu no Kuni remained a sound idea.

The years indeed turned samurai into glorified mercenaries...

As Naruto approached the ancient snowy fort, he idly noticed that the rather strong military presence; a tell-tale sign that a summit was either underway or about to begin. It was however surprising to note that the military presence were not consisting of samurais alone, but rather battalions of shinobi from each of the five strongest villages.

He could feel the tension in the air, there was a palpable sense of hostility present between the shinobis of the different villages. How could he not expect it? The countries were in the brink of war, and this summit might just be the final moments left of a fragile peace.

If he could call this peace in any stretch of the word...

The Sage approached the gate that led into the fort where the summit was held, the samurai manning the gates noticed his approach and stiffened slightly but nothing else. Perhaps it might be due to his non-threatening appearance. One of them approached him, his hands lingering on the hilt of his sword.

"State your business." the samurai tersely questioned.

"I wish to view the Kage summit." the sage answered honestly. An answer that caught the samurai off-guard for a short moment, however it did not take long for the guard to recompose.

He could hear a faint chuckle underneath the samurai's mask before said person made his response known.

"Well now, I am sure if you are aware that a Kage summit is taking place, you would be equally aware that such a summit is not made for public viewing traveler. Turn back now, there is nothing for you here." The samurai was about to return to his post before he noticed the squinted eyes of the man in front of him opened, revealing the rippled purple that was now boring into his own. Through the eye contact, the guard felt a strong compulsion building up...and a growing daze.

"You will make this exception samurai-san, won't you?" the sage spoke calmly yet firmly.

The samurai seemed in a trance for a very short moment before he finally responded.

"So be it." the samurai replied, and moved aside allowing the sage entry into the fortress. With the way clear, Naruto continued his walk into the fortress. There were a fair few other samurai manning the walls and towers, as well as patrolling the grounds yet all they did was gave the sage a lingering stare, on the assumption that he had passed through the gate with good reason.

The Sage's eyes remained opened and clear for the samurai in close proximity to him to see, suffice to say he had no trouble passing through the heavy security. He wished not to waste time or cause a scene, he had a summit to view...

* * *

 **Hubris**

It did not take long for him to arrive at the chamber where the summit was being held, as he entered he could feel...hostility. There was also a palpable tenseness in the air.

He entered the chamber through the doors of the balcony, overlooking the summit where very angry kages had been arguing vigorously about petty things. There were more than mere arguments however, as the discussions between the leaders of the four of the five great villages had been exchanging threats and insults. Some were directed at each other, but most were directed to the kage of the strongest village.

The Hokage, the leader of Konoha...

"You think you are in the position to make demands Hokage-dono? Well I am not sorry to to disappoint you so, but you are going to have to destroy Iwa before that can happen."

The voice of kages could be heard, expressing obvious anger or outrage over the Konoha leader.

Naruto did not know who the man and felt no desire to acquaint himself with the current Hokage. Yet his face...it felt familiar, almost as if a blast from the past. The air of arrogance he wore, the bloodthirsty grin ever present on his face...a name returned to him, a name that angered him immensely.

 _Sutemaru_

"This is no summit for peace is it Hokage? This is just a show of power isn't it?" one of the other Kages, the Raikage in particular made the observation. Despite the calm in his voice, Naruto could still feel the hostility that permeated his voice.

The Hokage laughed a hearty laugh at the Raikage's observation, and his smirk widened.

"Well since it is made obvious what my intention is, there is no use in me beating around the bush? Yes, this is a show of power on my part...and this show of power involves an ultimatum." the other Kages stiffened.

"Accept my offers of annexation, or there will be total war."

A short pause before the other kages voiced their reaction.

"Despite the strength of Konoha, you really think that you are able to take on the combined might of Four hidden villages?!" one of the Kages, the Tsuchikage responded defiantly.

Surprisingly the statement made by the Tsuchikage drew a considerable amount of outrage by the other as well.

"Alliance?! We never agreed to any alliance! Foolish words coming from you Tsuchikage! You really believe that Iwa, with your general acts of terror in my domain would go unpunished?!" the Raikage retorted.

The Hokage however continued, "There goes your 'combined-might' nonsense Tsuchikage-dono, I know clear and well that the chances of any of you standing the presence of each other is miniscule, let alone the chances that any of you would co-operate with each other. Kiri waging a cold war with Kumo, Iwa being generally hostile to any other shinobi whom are not their own, and Suna being an isolationist for a good few decades already."

He gave off another much more boisterous declaration, "at this rate, I am expecting more of a free-for-all if you decide not to agree to my ultimatum. If that happens, it is a guarantee that none of you would stand a chance to resist an invasion from Konoha or Hi no Kuni."

"Such bold words Hokage-dono. Would you prefer to put this assertion to the test?" The Mizukage replied, his voice almost a whisper but the underlying threat was all too real.

The Hokage's smirk widened, before another chuckle rang through the chamber, "it really is up to you Mizukage, I have all the manpower and the technology to outmatch the lot of you. Admit it, none of you were ever that good with annexation."

In the minds of the other Kages, what the Hokage said rang true; whilst they were much more... _involved_ with their conflicts amongst each other, Hi no Kuni and Konoha had taken the back seat in most of their confrontations. Instead, Konoha's efforts were aimed at either invading or annexing their neighbouring countries such as Grass, Tea, Rice and possibly Waterfall Country. It had been worrying, but alas they did nothing to impede Konoha or Fire Country.

Even then, there is also the matter that through this squabbling between the other Villages, Konoha had also noticeably advanced itself in terms of military technology. More specifically, the use of gunpowder which allowed mere civilians the ability to match shinobi in ranged combat, and therefore allowing them to be viable conscripts in the coming war.

Indeed in hindsight, they should have placed greater pressure on the Hokage instead of focusing on each other.

That being said, bad blood still remained between each leader...there had been doubt as to whether they could even consider co-operating for even a short term.

To add salt to the figurative wound, the Hokage decide to drop a final revelation, one that shocked them as well as gave no small amount of apprehension.

"You could say that Konoha has been so good at aligning the interests of others that even right here, right now...samurai from all across Tetsu no Kuni share _my_ interests."

All the other Kages were rendered completely silent, shock marring their faces.

Feeling the swelling feeling of triumph, the Hokage re-iterated his ultimatum, "so what will it be Kages? My offer still stands, accept annexation peacefully, or face a bloodbath."

The Tsuchikage's fist slammed on the table, "I stand by what I have said, Iwa will be nothing short of scorched earth before I will even _consider_ giving it to you!"

The other Kages responded with similar threats and hostilities, the Hokage remained unfazed.

"I'd hope that would be the case...much more fun that way. Well then, I suppose preparations for war are in order!" the Hokage responded.

"Wouldn't it be much more convenient to kill us now? All the Kages of the major villages, in one room...as convenient as it can get. And given that the samurai are under your control..." the Raikage questioned. He received mocking laughter in return.

"What fun would that make?! I would rather much prefer _total war_ than some cheap assassination trick!"

* * *

 **Inconsequential**

Total War...

That was what it had degenerated into, the decision made by _leaders_ of their people. They would rather bring ruin and destruction to their own villages than compromise even a fraction of their pride. For the sake of that same pride and greed they agreed so readily to lead masses to the slaughter, shed blood of both the guilty and the innocent.

Adding to their bloated pride had been a palpable and intoxicating hatred, one that had been made to fester from the many years of border tensions between the nations involved. None of them could stand each other if the interactions of the Kages were any indicator.

In all fairness Naruto did not know why he wanted to give this generation of shinobi a benefit of a doubt...deep down he knew that the age of shinobi had been irredeemable for a good many years. They were a ticking time-bomb, leading themselves towards their own destruction.

And they would bring this world to ruin with them.

All the more evidence to telling him they should perish. Though he continued to fight back against that thought.

He did not know for sure they would be unyielding in their declaration of war...right?

Those thoughts and resolve rang through his head as he leapt down towards the chamber and landed at the centre of the summit. The Kages were shocked by his sudden appearance, and the various bodyguards of the different Kages kept their guard up.

"Who might you be?"

He could hear the voice of the current Hokage, questioning him with a hint of curiosity. The same Hokage whom ordered those Konoha shinobi to massacre an entire village...burning it to the ground.

Oh he was so very tempted to unleash hell upon the leaders gathered here, he could barely restrain his chakra from bursting out yet...

"Someone whom has lived long enough to know that the decisions you have made here yield nothing but ruin." he replied. He raised his head, eyeing each and every kage in the chamber. He allowed his eyelids to conceal his eyes once again, he had hoped that words alone could by some chance be sufficient to change the minds of these Kages.

Oh how foolish he still was to expect something like that...

"Please reconsider this decision of yours Kages, end these petty wars...war is unnecessary, bloodshed is unnecessary. Do not bring this world to ruin, for the sake of your children, and those of the future generation..." he warned them.

And he received sneering laughter in response, more specifically from the Hokage. The laughter soon became hysterical, almost as if the words that came out of his mouth had been the biggest joke of all time.

The Sage noticed that as he continued to laugh, samurai started to enter the chamber; their blades out and were at the ready to engage him.

"What makes you think that I will accept advice from and inconsequential monk like you? What makes you think that you have the _right_ to even lecture me?" the Hokage asked mockingly.

"It is not me whom has a right to do lecture you. I am merely warning you that _you_ have no right to lead your people to scorch the earth because of your petty ambitions."

"I have the power, I have the influence. I can say for certain that I have _earned_ such right you poor fool." the Hokage replied.

"Well you will have to pay for the right for your precious conquest with blood then Hokage". The Raikage responded, the other Kages responded similarly.

So this was it, warnings that fell on deaf ears. People so rooted in pride and hate that no words nor explanations could even cast doubt on their resolve to slaughter each other.

He still wanted to give them a benefit of a doubt, he did not want to resolve to _drastic_ measures. His rational mind knew it was futile, and it was becoming apparent that his heart echoed his mind.

"Is there really no way for the lot of you to see reason is there?" Naruto muttered an ultimatum, loud enough to be heard. No kage deemed it worthy to answer that question.

Only the Hokage voiced a reply.

"Kill the fool , he is not worth my time. I have a war to look forward to."

That final statement had been a strong enough catalyst to break whatever tolerance he held. As the samurai and shinobi guards approached him with hostile intent, his mind and heart were one.

The sage unhinged his hold over his chakra that he fought so hard to suppress, _for their sake_.

He could feel the shock radiating from the various Kages, shinobi and samurai present as he started to dodge and weave through the relentless assaults. Using only his shakujo which he now channeled his chakra into, he landed blow after blow on his attackers. Those struck with the staff were instantly were knocked back with shocking force, and through his command over the Heaven Path, the five elements and their derivatives were used with frightening efficiency. To those gathered there, the Sage had become nothing short of a force of nature, making quick work of the various bodyguards of the Kage as well as the samurai that had begun crowding the chamber.

As more samurai entered the chamber, he conjured a sword that resembled a double-helix to counter the blades used by the armoured warriors. The blades sliced through the the well-made swords and armour of the samurai as if they were paper, until it could taste the flesh of the foolish warriors whom were nothing but sellswords at this point.

Samurai and shinobi continued to be cut down, whilst they themselves were unable to land even a single blow on the rampaging Sage. Even the numerical advantage had been completely nullified as the Sage conjured shadow clones which made equally short work of the dwindling number of guards in the chamber.

Naruto continued to sense the feelings that radiated from the various individuals now present in that chamber, there was shock, there was awe, there was panic...there was fear. None of those emotions mattered to him, the forefront of his mind was instead filled with the unquestionable...obligation to bring retribution, the compulsion to prevent another unneeded war, one that could plunge the world into ruin.

In his trance-like state, he and his clones continued to make short work of those who came in between him and the various Kages gathered in the chamber. Soon enough it became apparent that the various shinobis, be it Anbu or Jonin whom impeded his path were dispatched with much ease, and in time a few of the Kages readied themselves against the rampaging Sage.

Soon no more samurai nor shinobi guards were left alive, Naruto now faced the combined might of five Kages. Feeling no need for his shadow clones, he will them to disperse.

For awhile there was silence, there was uncertainty as to who would make the first move. It broke soon enough.

The Mizukage and the Raikage were first to engage him; they initiated their engagement by releasing a collaboration jutsu, a lightning powered Water Dragon. Had Naruto not been in his trance, he would have appraised how the two seemingly opposing Kages were able to execute a collaboration technique despite their differences.

That being said, their efforts would be in vain.

The electric conducted water dragon completely lost its power and dispersed into nothingness, as the Sage conjured Gakido to absorb the chakra from the technique as the dragon collided with his outstretched palm. The Kages however were not deterred, but rather persisted with their attacks with greater tenacity. It did not take long for the rest of the Kage to join in. Each and every one of them unleashed the most destructive jutsus against the Sage in the hopes that the sheer firepower would be able to overwhelm him.

Raiton, Katon, Fuuton, Suiton and Doton, the five elements that represented the strongest Hidden Villages of the Elemental nations descended upon the Sage.

To them, they were the strongest shinobi of the Elemental Nations, there was no way this monk would be able to withstand their combined assault, no matter how strong he may be.

They would once again be proven wrong; decisively...harshly.

 **Shinra Tensei**.

Through just those words, the strongest of elemental jutsus paused for a fraction of a second...and in time an explosion of significant proportions consumed the chamber. The corpses of the dead shinobi and samurai vaporised from the sheer power, whilst the surviving Kage were violently forced back.

An immense and thunderous explosion could be heard, and seen for miles attracting the attention of the armies gathered outside.

All that was left of the summit chamber were rubble; and the five kages laid scattered, unsurprisingly still alive. Unfortunately the generations of technological advances and a constantly eroding standard of shinobi skill and strength prevented them from recovering from the shock of the explosion.

The Sage however remained completely unscathed, unaffected even.

Rippled eyes considered the weakened Kages around him, all he could feel as he considered them had been... _disappointment._ Once again he knew it was only a matter of time before peace degenerated, making way for warmongers.

How foolish of him to hold on to those ideals...

Hope led to disappointment.

 _...she told him about it after all._

Five truth-seeking balls manifested behind him, and they promptly levitated towards each downed Kage, their spherical form morphing into sharp spikes, aimed at each Kage's head.

"If you have any last words Kages, out with them." he spoke, ensuring his voice held no inkling of the torrent of emotions he was feeling. Ending the lives of these warmongers would be necessary, but they at least were entitled to speak their mind before they lives were forfeit.

Once again, the Hokage spoke...there was no fear, but rather one of grim determination

"You...really think that killing us will bring and end to this war boy?! You really think getting rid of us will bring an end or postpone it?!"

Naruto mulled over what was said, what was this deadman getting at?

He heard the Kage chuckle darkly, before he continued his tirade, "no...killing me changes nothing. Even if I die right here and now, my successors, whoever he may be will take my place as the spearhead of the coming war. The same goes for the other villages!"

The Hokage's voice was now louder, arrogance returning to him. "peace is an illusion you stupid boy. The moment we take our first breath in this unforgiving world, there will always be conflict. That is what it means to be a shinobi, children bred and conditioned to be soldiers on the battlefied...if they are weak, they die young...if they are strong, they live just a little longer."

"Without war there is no purpose...what is the point of shinobi if we do not kill? If we do not draw blood?" his chuckled turned to laughter. All this time, Naruto listened intently on the Hokage's words...his mind contemplating on what he has said.

"This is why...you can never change us hermit...no matter how hard you may try! Give up why don't you? Perhaps if you do I might consider _delaying_ the war if for just a little while longer."

Silence reigned, though in the distance the sound of rapid footsteps could be heard. Tell-tale signs that battalions of shinobi and samurai that had been keeping guard outside were fast approaching.

After what seemed like an eternity, Naruto finally responded to the Hokage whose name he had no interest in knowing.

"Your words are duly noted...now farewell."

The Hokage, nor any Kage for that matter had the time to process what the sage had said, before the levitating spikes pierced their foreheads, and straight through the back of their head. The moment the shards pierced through the skulls of the Kages, their bodies slowly disintegrated into ash.

All of them, including the very vocal Hokage were now mere dust on the ground. Upon confirming their deaths, Naruto knew it was time to leave before more shinobi arrive.

He would be long gone before the battalions from their respective villages finally reach the centre of the carnage. What had been a fortress was now ruins.

* * *

 **Unchanging**

He needed time to contemplate on his...re-discovery, an understanding that he had worked far too hard to suppress. He _wanted_ to be willfully blind to it, he wanted to hold some semblance of hope that this understanding...this fact could be disproved, even if slightly.

Reality had many ways to erode his hope, perhaps eroding as a description might be an understatement.

It was more akin to crushing...

The words of the now late Hokage rang loudly in his mind,

 _peace is an illusion you stupid boy. The moment we take our first breath in this unforgiving world, there will always be conflict_

He loathed to concede, he absolutely hated the fact that he had no choice but to accept the simple reality that shinobi and peace were akin to water and oil. They could never mix, even if they seemingly could it was indeed only an illusion that would fall apart be it weeks, months or years. No matter how long, peace would _never_ last.

Naruto was now miles away from the Fort where the summit was held, on one of Iron Country's highest peaks overlooking the fort and the smoking ruin it now was. Legions of men circling around frantically as if looking for the source of the destruction, he can only wonder how long it would take until the shinobis of the five major villages started to accuse each other of foul play, how long until the the first shots were fired.

It was through this prospect he started to question his decision to leave the fort and not make himself known.

He knew he should have, that much was certain...

He remembered the message his estranged uncle once conveyed to him, through both actions and words. The motivation that Nagato Uzumaki held when he did what he did those many years ago, under the guise of Pain.

His words played back in his memory, Nagato always talked about the importance of pain...and it was more than simple masochism. No one wanted to experience pain, and when they did, they would find any and all ways to prevent themselves from experiencing it a second time.

Without pain humanity would not understand the value of peace was what he said. Naruto remained confused as to what he meant for many years...

And after losing whatever hope he had of a long-lasting peace, he finally understood.

Nagato always made it clear that _he_ was the one spreading pain as he invaded Konoha...

Everyone knew him...everyone hated him for what they had felt by his hands.

Everyone set their differences aside to stop him.

The same was done against Obito, against Madara...

And finally against Kaguya.

Having a strong common enemy had been a _cure_ , a temporary one but an cure nonetheless.

Only with an enemy that would give endless suffering and pain, could they set aside their conflicts..and as long as the enemy exists, their conflicts will remain buried indefinitely.

An enemy that would be the centre of their hate for all eternity...

Was this...why _she_ acted the way she did?

By sealing her away, did he and Sasuke pave the way for this grim future? A future where all of humanity are _allowed_ to turn on each other, allowing the hate that festered within them to be used as a catalyst to harm each other for the years to come?

Without a constant reminder, shinobi revert to their natural instincts...

The instinct to bring ruin to the world, and to themselves.

Or was it a mortal instinct?

Upon this epiphany he could feel his leg weaken, a revelation that took a little too long for him to embrace. In hindsight he recalled how idealistic he had been, foolish even.

He knew this understanding had been decades coming, and it was through his stubbornness that he allowed himself to wallow in this delusion for this long.

Naruto knew he had to right what was wrong, he was the only one who had the power to do so.

Kaguya, even when all was said and done, she was right.

And deep down he knew what had needed to do set things in motion.

He may have the powers akin to a god, but ultimately he was only one person. Naruto is willing to bear the burden of humanity's hate if it means they would not turn on themselves.

But if he ever disappears, or leaves...everything that he would have fought for, all the burdens he would bear would be for nothing.

He could not do everything alone, he needed help.

He needed _her_ help.

* * *

 **AN: It's getting there, and I really wanted to get this out. The next chapter may be out a little earlier since I have most of the next one written.**

 **And well, lets just say I am finally reaching the end of this.**


	5. Transmigration

**AN: Oh boy, here we go.**

"Speech"

 **"Jutsu/Empowered Speech** "

 _Subconscious/Thoughts/Memories_

 **DISCLAIMER: All characters, and source material are intellectual property of their respective owners.**

* * *

 **Reach for the Moon - Immortal Smoke**

Five days,

Five days were all it took before the five major villages had elected a new Kage to represent them, and it had become apparent that they were equally violent as their late predecessors.

The Hokage was right, killing them did not stop the war from starting...did not even slow it down as a matter or fact.

In just a span of a few days, after the deaths of the old Kages in the Kage summit; the armies of the five major countries and their respective villages made ready for war...a sixth Great war no less.

A war that had no right to exist.

Legions of shinobi, civilian military, conscripts and samurai gathered at the borders of the nations at war, all of them armed, and all of them impetuous for bloodshed.

And bloodshed truly did arrive as gunfire and jutsus were released by humans against each other.

The Sage witnessed the destruction, the deaths...he witnessed everything as he sat atop one of the obelisks of his shrine. Smoke from the fires of war rose up to the skies, as the seemingly endless battles lasted from day through to night.

And it was through nightfall, that the moon shone brightly and clearly atop the cloudless skies. The beauty of the moon juxtaposed the now scorched earth that spanned for miles.

Being what he had become had been a blessing and a curse...

As the war raged on, the Earth screamed out to him as his connection with nature chakra deepened. The agony had been excruciating, maddening...infuriating.

He did not know how long this war would last, but he knew that he will not allow it to drag on for any longer.

Had he any hesitation about what he would do in the past few days, it was not firmly quashed.

It was through nightfall that Naruto finally decided he needed to take action. Lifting himself up from his sitting position on the elevated position the obelisk of his shrine, his attention now brought towards the full moon that had for many years instilled a sense of yearning in him. He had yet to understand why he felt longing as he eyed the moon, perhaps now was the time to get answers.

Answers from the one whom was known as the Rabbit Goddess.

 **Tendo**

A burst of chakra ignited within him as he channeled the power of the Heaven Path; gravity started to lose its hold on the Sage and in moments his feet were no longer touching the surface of the obelisk. In another few seconds, his entire form propelled upwards toward the moon at breakneck speeds.

Naruto could feel the atmosphere thinning as he rapidly approached the moon, to avoid the loss of air he manifested a complete **Susanoo.** The fiery form of of the behemoth that adopted the visage of an armoured tengu wrapped in chains enveloped him protectively, ensuring that the lack of air and pressure as he left the atmosphere did not affect him.

Naruto now faced the seemingly barren surface of the moon; craters and rocks littered the surface, everything seemed devoid of life...but to him he could feel the almost intoxicating levels of chakra that radiated off the seemingly lifeless rock.

The Sage flared his chakra multiple times, with each flare the surface trembled slightly. By the ninth flare, the once flat surface in front of him started to rise up, and started to take an enormous form. It did not take long until a large gate stood in front of him, a gate that resembled the Rashomon with a few notable differences, namely the 'face' of the gate resembled the face of the Juubi, complete with a sculpture of its single rippled eye.

The gate started to open very slowly, but it had taken at most a good few seconds for the gate to be fully ajar. Naruto in his manifested Susanoo went through the gate that led downwards, possibly towards the very centre of the moon. Upon passing through the behemoth structure, the gate had begun to close behind him, this did not affect nor worry him not even for a moment as his ultimate destination would be to head down lower into the core of the moon.

The fiery behemoth that is the Susanoo acted as lighting for what would otherwise be complete darkness, though as the Sage progressed deeper into the core of the moon, a dim lights could be seen in the distance. As he approached the source of the glow, the Susanoo he had manifested slowly dispersed. He had no more use of the behemoth given that the harsh depressurised void had now been completely gone upon the sealing of the gate above. What had remain was surprisingly breathable air, a remnant of the last time this chamber had been visited the years before.

He was now face-to-face with a second gate, though this one had been completely different from the one that he had faced in the unforgiving void that was the surface of the moon. Its outward took the form of a completely blank wall, one that made it seem more like a dead-end rather than an entrance that led into the core of the moon. The only indication that it was anything but a blank wall had been the glowing seal-work, that covered the wall akin to an intricate web.

Facing the glowing wall, Naruto raised his right hand; a faint dark purple glow resonated from his now open palm, the energy seemed to take a more solid form, one that took the shape of a staff. In time, a shakujo had completely formed, which Naruto aimed its flat base towards the centre of the glowing seal.

The flat base of the shakujo glowed a dim purple as Naruto pointed it towards the wall.

He tapped the wall with the base of his shakujo. Nothing occurred for a few seconds but in time the seal had faded, and with it the wall that had acted as a boundary towards further progress. Said wall had disintegrated, fading to dust, and beyond the now dematerialised wall had been a large chamber...large enough to fit an entire hidden village within it.

Within that large seemingly endless void of the chamber, nine things stood out within it. The very centre of the chamber laid a very large familiar statue. Surrounding the statue, circling the spherical room were eight large masses of chakra, with each one being more potent and stronger than the last.

To the sage, it had been apparent hat he had reached his destination...for at the core of the moon had been the bijuu...or rather what was left of them. The years passed sealed in the chibaku tensei had drained the sentience that had been given to them by Hagoromo, they no longer held their animalistic forms...but rather devolved into masses of raw chakra.

These concentrated masses of chakra however held less importance to him than the statue in front of him, the one'll reason he decided to revisit this...prison.

He was here for the Gedo Mazo.

And more specifically for the person whom is now imprisoned within it.

That statue, something that used to instill a sense of dread, apprehension and perhaps loathing no longer did so. The only feeling left from its imposing figure was instead more akin to forlorn. Sasuke and him, both of them had imprisoned her in there, a prison that was meant to last for all eternity. After the visions...or dreams that he had on that fateful night where he and his old friend clashed, guilt started building up in him as he recalled what had happened during the end of the Fourth Great war.

He began questioning himself whether he would have done it again...had he been given the chance, had he been in that same situation? There was no reason why he shouldn't, she was a danger to the entirety of humanity. She wanted nothing short of complete subjugation of them, to control them.

The answer seemed obvious, but now that he lay witness to this grim future, he could not say for sure any longer.

Time and time again, as his faith in the generations of shinobi that follow wavers, the stronger it was the conclusion he would inevitably reach. One he had been too naive to recognise those many years ago.

She _knew_ this would happen...she was right.

As Naruto's mind wanders, he started to feel...distant. Almost as if in a growing trance he approached the Gedo Mazo, his body seemingly on autopilot. Despite the sudden lack of an active exertion of his will, he felt no panic, he felt no urge to struggle against the compulsion.

He felt confusion as to why he acted in such a way.

Though in addition to the confusion he felt a palpable, and growing feeling of longing as tears seemed to fall from his permanently rippled eyes. He wanted to hear her voice...he wanted to see her again.

He wanted see her _free_.

 _"Naruto! Cease this at once!"_ he heard a familiar voice. The voice of Hagoromo Otsutsuki, he could hear desperation and outrage in his voice.

He ignored them, as he continued to approach the statue.

 _"This will be your biggest mistake boy! Do not allow yourself to succumb to this compulsion, there is still a chance to turn back! There is still a chance to-"_

Naruto forcibly evicted Hagoromo from his mindscape, his voice surprisingly infuriating and only made worse with every word he spoke.

As silence reigned in his mind, he started to feel light-headed, yet his body continued its walk towards the statue as if completely unaffected by the lapsing of his consciousness. His vision started to darken, yet he did not collapse nor did he pause, it had only taken mere moments until he had finally come face to face with the monstrous statue, a mere arms length in fact. It was at this point he could feel consciousness slipping him, yet despite that his by remained autonomous; he could feel chakra chains emerging from his back and stabbing various parts of the statue.

It was at that point where he could feel a strong _pull_...before darkness finally set in.

* * *

 **Eternal Dream**

His eyes snapped open and he took a deep breath in surprise as he regained his consciousness. As he had done so he tried to regain his bearings as to where he was...

He was met with a familiar sight.

He was resting on a tree...a very familiar tree, at the centre of a very familiar isle in a very familiar chamber where water surrounded it.

The Imperial Palace...the chamber of Shinju in fact. He looked around, his mind was in a daze as he considered his surroundings, nothing seemed out of place yet there was a strange brightness and fogginess to everything, almost as if he was somewhere ethereal...dream-like.

It was then he felt a weight shifting in his arms, and what felt like soft breathing. He immediately looked down, and what he had witnessed brought clarity back into his mildly confused state.

His heart skipped a beat, and the feeling of fondness manifested in full-force as he felt a smile erupt on his face.

Kaguyahime, there she was...her eyes closed, likely asleep. But as soon as he saw the expression on her face he felt a frown surfaced on him.

Despite her slumber, she looked...pained...or rather he could see and feel the discomfort or agony that resonated as she fidgeted. He felt a wet spot on his shirt, as he noticed she had tears flowing out from her closed eyes.

That expression pained him once again, just like it did back when..

His mind played back the memories, what seemed like mere moments before.

The God Tree, Sutemaru, _his death_.

And his final words.

 _Perhaps one day we might meet again if Samsara is kind_

The man named Naruto Uzumaki...

 _Mikado_ realised that he had finally been given the chance of rebirth, the opportunity to reunite with the only woman he loved. He was reborn as Naruto Uzumaki, his actions as his current and possibly permanent incarnation now replayed in his mind.

Up until the Fourth Shinobi War...

And what _he_ had done to her.

He felt sick, he felt self-loathing...

...she suffered for many years because of him, and she had suffered much longer because of-

He did not want to think about it, he wanted to right this wrong. He will not allow her to suffer for any longer.

Both his hands grab hold of Kaguya's much smaller frame, it was then he shook her slightly.

"Hime! Wake up! Please wake up!" at that very moment he cried...hoping to break Kaguya from this state of agony that he knew she was feeling.

It did not take long for his efforts to be rewarded much to his relief and elation...he heard a groan and he could see her eyes flutter before finally opening, revealing those beautiful amber eyes that he knew so well. Her eyes were unfocused for a few seconds but soon enough they regained the familiar hawk-like sharpness she always had, albeit with mild confusion. She looked around before her eyes finally met his.

At that moment he could see those amber orbs widened almost uncharacteristically, fresh tears flowed out from them as Mikado noticed her breathing intensified.

"M-Mikado? I-is that really you?" she spoke up, voice merely a whisper. Her grip on his arms tightened significantly as she confirmed whether this had been an illusion or not.

He now wore a grin at her question, "I told you I we will reunite hime, be it years or centuries, I will not go back on that promise."

Upon saying those words, he witnessed her face light up, and a beautiful smile adorned her face before his wife embraced him tightly, her face buried into his chest. For that moment, neither of them said anything...more than happy to remain where they were, savouring this reunion completely.

It had been right for them to do so, for it would be apparent that this moment would not last forever despite how much they desired it to be so.

Perhaps for what might have been hours which seemed like mere minutes, he could feel Kaguya starting to move. Her head rose up to meet his and gone was that brief moment of vulnerability that she would only show to him. Replacing the tears and the look of longing had been the cool visage that he had come to recognised through the years.

Up till now, he could not help but be unsurprised with his wife's ability to compose herself.

Perhaps now was the time to tell her that-

"Samsara has finally reared its benevolent head, but there is a limit to its kindness. Is that what you are about to say my love?" Mikado had his mouth opened, ready to explain to Kaguya the _limitations_ of this reunion only to shut them upon realising that she had pre-empted him again.

"And given the way Samsara and reincarnation functions, the moment we leave this _...illusion_ , I will have to face the reality that the person you have reincarnated as is no longer the Mikado I once knew is that right?" she continued, though he could sense the hurt laced in her voice as she spoke.

Mikado nodded to what she had said, though his gaze remained on her, he had the mind to ask his love how she had come to know about this.

"I have lingered this world for millennia, waiting for you Mikado. Is it all that surprising that I can gain an understanding of how Samsara works?" with her answer to his yet unspoken question, sighed before conceding that her sharp mind had not for once changed over the ages.

Though as his mind began to wander, Kaguya's confidence started to wane, and in time her composure started to erode.

He witnessed new emotions running through her face; he could see uncertainty, regret, sorrow and ultimately _guilt_.

"I-I'm sorry Mikado..." Kaguya started, her voice softer than before, bashful even. The words that came from her lips had caused him to blink repeatedly.

"Why do you say that Hime?" he asked, confusion settling in.

"I tried...to ensure that the God Fruit would never be abused...would never fall into the hands of those easily corrupted. I failed...and in doing so I have done things that I have never once been proud of. The deaths of countless...subjugation of the world...I have become a monster that you have feared the most. A monster that I swore to you I would protect Shinju from." no little amount of guilt was present in her demeanour as she replied to his question. This had been the first time he witnessed the woman whom was embodiment of confidence, wisdom and certainty acting so lost...and so uncertain.

He knew exactly what she was speaking about; what happened to the world after she subjugated the seven kingdoms from destroying the world with its wars. What she was forced to do in order to avoid the spreading of chakra to humanity.

What she was forced to do to mend the open wounds of a species that held too weak a will and resolve to possess the power akin to god.

She subjected herself to millennias of of isolation...imprisoned in this moon. Even after being freed after all those millenia in this Fourth Shinobi War, she remained committed to what she promised him back at that fateful night.

She suffered for him...did everything in her power to fulfill his then dying wish.

To the point that she started to believe that she abandoned all her conscience, turning herself into what he hated most.

Is it any wonder that when she now reunited with him that she felt the weight of the actions she did now suffocating her.

"P-please don't _hate_ me Mikado...please", mild hysteria in her voice. It had been obvious she was contemplating the prospect that he would now loath her because of what she had done.

She knew who he was...

She knew that what she had done lacked any form of compassion, far too ruthless...

She _knew_ had he witnessed what she had done would have disturbed him.

Be that as it may...there was one thing he had absolutely loathed with all his being

He _hated_ to see the woman he loved suffer any longer from this self-loathing.

"Hime"

Mikado firmly gripped on to Kaguya's now shaking frame. The woman now redirected his attention to him, apprehension on her face as she was unsure of how he would react.

"Do you remember what I said to you hime, when we were last here?" he asked, Kaguya eyes blinked...contemplation evident through her expression.

This was one of the few rare moments where he could finally answer something she knew not of.

"Even if the rest of the world questions what you did, I will not." his lover's eyes blinked again, before they widened.

"I told you this before and I will say again, I have absolute faith in you Kaguyahime. Never for once, not even now have my faith in you waned. Not even once have you erred...if there has ever been a person whom has erred, it will be me."

He moved his face closer to hers, Kaguya blushed slightly at the greater intimacy between them.

"I have erred, because I was _weak_ , far too weak to protect you. It is I who have failed _you_ , to allow you to suffer through these changing times alone...I have done _worse..._ "

Mikado now gently embraced the woman he continues to love.

"I'm sorry Hime. Forgive _me._ "

Before he could say anything further he felt warmth on his lips, as he had come to realise that Kaguya had her lips on his. Her arms now around his neck. He could not help but reciprocate, strengthening his embrace of her further.

The kiss lasted for a good minute, before the both of them parted. Kaguya's eyes were on him again, and to his relief her confidence and composure returned. However, he could not help but notice that an inquisitive gleam in her orbs.

"So...is it Naruto?" she asked.

He blinked before responding with a an eloquent "huh?"

"You know what I'm asking my love." she replied simply.

After a second of considering, he immediately understood what she was talking about.

"How did you know?" He asked, his voice forlorn given what would happen after they leave this illusion.

"Call it an intuition Mikado, I had doubts before but then lessened...up until...you know..." she answered, he could feel guilt returning to him, but was quickly held back when Kaguya very quickly picked up what he felt.

"I could never blame you for what you did Mikado, in the end, if it wasn't for that I would not have reunited with you. Seeing you again made everything in the past worth it."

Kaguya once again laid her head on his shoulder, her eyes closed again but unlike the expression of agony when he first saw her prior, she merely had an expression of contentment.

He wrapped his arms around her, his resolve strengthened, "I am getting you out of this prison. Stay where you are, and wait for me."

Kaguya gave an unladylike snort, "oh even if I want to leave, do you think I can go anywhere you idiot."

Damn it...how did he embarrass himself like that.

"And one more thing please Mikado..."

"What is it Hime?"

"I do not want the Shinju's power...when you free me, I do not want to drag it along with me any longer." she answered.

"Are you sure?" he replied.

"After countless ages holding on to the powers of a god that I was never interested in to begin with and which gave me nothing but misery? I'm sure I won't miss it." she replied instantly, slight annoyance evident in her voice.

Upon hearing that request his frown deepened.

Kaguya ate the God Fruit, the fruit is now very much a part of her physical body...how can he free her whilst unbinding the power of the God Tree from her body.

Upon further thought he realised the answer to that question...

It was impossible.

His frown deepened further as this problem becomes more apparent. It seemed that this problem yield no solution...

His wife undoubtedly knew what he was worrying about, and voiced out her thoughts on the little dilemma.

"Remember Mikado, you are the Rikudo Sennin, I'm sure you can figure something out." she answered, the answer seemed a little too vague...more a clue rather than an actual solution.

"WHat does that have to do wi-" he paused as he was about to complete the sentence, an epiphany came to him as he understood what his wife was implying.

That was it, that was the answer he needed...

He knew what could be done, he found the solution he needed.

And just in time as well, for he too was running out of time lingering in this prison.

"Please remember me Mikado, even if a little..." she whispered, fully aware that it might be the last time he would see Mikado, as he was.

"I will Hime, I will never leave you alone any longer. I may be Naruto Uzumaki, but nothing changes the fact that I am still the man who would move mountains for you." Mikado responded without a second thought.

He gave her a last kiss before resting her on the Shinju. He stood up and headed towards the 'exit' of the chamber.

"I love you Mikado-sama..." were the last words Kaguya said before she would be left alone again.

 _You will not stay imprisoned here for any longer hime_ he thought to himself.

* * *

 **Creation of All Things**

With his eyes now opened again, he felt confusion, a slight disorientation as he seemed to have lost consciousness when he approached the demonic statue of the Outer Path.

That soon dissipated, as he is immediately struck by a strong sense of clarity...

Clarity that he had stopped experiencing for many years...clarity that he used to hold as that idealistic boy whom thought that peace across the elemental nations could be attained.

 _Naruto_ could not comprehend, nor did he have strong recollections of what transpired as the chakra chains untangle themselves from Gedo Mazo before simmering away. He did not know what the source of this clarity was, but he however knew what this clarity is...

He knew what had to be done.

He knew he had to release Kaguya from this prison and this feeling was not stronger than ever. As of yet he did not know why he felt this strongly towards it...but it was something he felt _had_ to be done.

With his resolve secured, Naruto unshackled his chakra, allowing black-white energy to saturate the large chamber. The chamber shook as the chakra that filled it continued to intensify.

As the chamber shook from the power, he raised his shakujo, which also radiated the same dense chakra that filled the chamber.

 **Banbutsu Sozo**

He struck the floor that stood Gedo Mazo with his shakujo, and in mere moments upon doing so, a large seal formed beneath the statue. The seal bore the appearance of ripples akin to the Eyes of Shinju, with six tomoe in its middle rim and a YinYang symbol as its pupil.

As quickly as the seal formed, a palpable pull could be felt...almost like that of a black hole absorbing light around it. The key difference being that instead of light, the seal beneath the Gedo Mazo was rapidly absorbing the chakra of the eight masses of chakra that were once the Bijuu.

The process was quick, and in time it had become apparent that the first to eight tails had been completely absorbed by the Seal. , A glow started to resonate from the statue, and a low hum could be heard.

There was only one more fragment needed to complete the process, the the nine tails chakra needed to be removed from him.

Naruto unzipped his cloak, preparing himself for the extraction of the Kyuubi.

Before he could do so however, he is interrupted by a form that slowly materialised in front of him, in time it is apparent who this entity was. A person he surprisingly felt a degree of.. _disappointment_ towards. He did no know why, some elusive reason that as of yet was beyond him...

Between him and Gedo Mazo, stood Hagoromo. Though he no longer looked like the old man he last saw him, but rather much younger, probably during the time when he sealed Juubi.

Sealed his own mother...

"The chakra in this chamber is saturated enough for your spirit to take form...should have expected that." Naruto commented, he frowned upon witnessing the younger Otsutsuki.

"This is all a grave mistake Naruto! Cease this before it becomes irreversible!" Hagoromo shouted out, attempting to dissuade him from completing the ritual. The once Sage of Six Paths held on to his own shakujo in a threatening manner.

Naruto could see it in his rippled eyes, there was a grim determination in them, a determination to stop him before he could free Kaguya.

"If you fear that Kaguya would bring her wrath unto the world upon her release then you will have nothing to fear Hagoromo-san. She may be freed, but none of shunju's power will be bound to her." Naruto explained, hoping this would be reassurance of sorts that was sufficient to dissuade the Otsutsuki's decision to stop him.

The reassurance did nothing, as the younger Otsutsuki remained stubborn.

"Be that as it may, I know very well who she is...I know very well that given a chance at freedom she will seek power once again! Kaguya Otsutsuki is _dangerous_ , she needs to be sealed, and she _must_ remain sealed! There is no other way around this!" Hagoromo replied, as defiant as before.

Upon hearing that he felt anger, he was appalled...

"She is your mother Hagoromo, the power that you fear she would abuse would no longer be in her disposal! She does not deserve an eternity of imprisonment! An eternity of agonising loneliness!" Naruto snapped, his anger evident in his voice.

Alas Hagoromo remained steadfast, "She will bring the destruction of all the people who live across the elemental nations! She _must be contained!_ "

Naruto scowled.

"Listen to yourself Hagoromo-san! Humanity, all Shinobi are bringing about their own destruction! A new Great War is underway as we speak and when it is all over, there will plunge the world into ruin not just themselves!"

Hagoromo sneered, "and _what_ exactly can you do to fix that _Naruto_?"

That was a question that resonated in his mind...what could he do? As the earth wailed in pain from the flames of war what could he do to bring an end to it?

"I don't know...not yet, but what I do know is that keeping Kaguya sealed yields nothing." Naruto finally responded.

Naruto's eyes focused on the manifestation of Hagoromo, hardened with resolve, "Kaguya will be free, stop me or not, it will not matter". With that declaration, he started to calmly approach Gedo Mazo.

"So be it..." Hagoromo muttered, before a chakra surge could be felt.

 **Shinra Tensei** , Hagoromo directed a push towards Naruto whom promptly cushioned the force with his own mastery of the Heaven Path. Though he was still pushed a few metres as a result of it.

"If I cannot talk some sense into you, I will just have to use force..."the Otsutsuki declared.

"Funny, I was about to say the same thing." Naruto replied before he darted towards the once Sage of Six Paths, with the latter holding his guard up with his Shakujo. Both staffs collided with each other, and the confrontation turned into a melee.

Both corporeal and ethereal collided with a force that would shake the core of the moon further, both individuals steadfast in their decision to stop the other.

It appeared to be a stalemate at first, however it soon became apparent that Naruto held an advantage over the chakra manifestation of Hagoromo Otsutsuki. Naruto's many more years of living experience and the presence of the Kyuubi, compounded by Hagoromo's years of inactivity and considerably weaker chakra constructed body eventually allowed him to overpower the Younger Otsutsuki, forcing the latter to break off from the engagement.

The Otsutsuki managed to manifest six truth-seeking balls, however Naruto himself manifested ten. Once again it had become apparent that the amount of chakra held by a body made from ambient chakra would not be able to match the power of a physical body that was both Uzumaki and housed a bijuu.

Naruto was also aware that as a chakra construct, Hagoromo would be made especially vulnerable. It confused him why the Otsutsuki insisted on stopping him, it should become obvious that such an effort would be futile with the way he is right now.

"You have told me about the dangers of stubbornness Hagoromo, yet why are you still here? Insisting on winning a fight you are unable to win?" Naruto voiced out his confusion, for all intents and purposes Hagoromo was an ancient soul.

He could see the Otsutsuki lower his head slightly at his question, if he could place an emotion or a mindset to the expression which adorned Hagoromo, he would likely describe it as...denial?

"Do you not realise what you are about to do?" he muttered, to Naruto's confusion. That confusion soon evaporated as he had come to realise what Hagoromo mean.

He relaxed slightly, and took a deep wearied breath. His resolve remained resolute.

"I am very much aware of the implications of my actions, I would not commit to it unless I am absolutely sure. Right now, I definitely am..." Naruto replied.

"How?!" Hagoromo snapped, "How _can_ you be sure?! Throwing humanity into ruin...how is it that you can be this certain?!"

"I have given all of them a chance Hagoromo! Over a century I have given them a benefit of doubt, only to be proven wrong time and time again!" He replied with equal fervour.

Though as he continued with his answer, he recalled what he had done...just so he could give the people that roam the earth and the Elemental Nations a chance.

"I had a hand in sealing Kaguya...placing her in a century of confinement, because I was willing to give humanity a chance..." he whispered, more to himself than to the chakra construct.

Anger...a righteous fury started to boil within him, before he eyed Hagoromo intensely.

"I have given them enough Hagoromo, don't you for even one moment dare claim I did not! As stubborn as I am, I am willing to admit when a mistake has gone too far!"

The ten truth-seeking balls started to spin rapidly behind Naruto, various elements started to channel themselves into the spheres of power.

"Now _move_ Hagoromo, I am not interested in delaying this any longer, nor am I interested in adding fuel to this fire that is the mistake you made for giving chakra to humanity."

Despite his warning, Hagoromo did not move, did not budge an inch. He remained defiant, which seemed almost ridiculous given the age and supposed wisdom of the Otsutsuki. The six Truth-Seeking balls he had managed to manifest also flickered to life through various elemental chakra, spinning wildly as well.

Hagoromo should have known that at his current state he would not be able to match him, yet he continued to do so.

"I said _leave_ Hagoromo, before you force my hand..." Naruto gave the once Sage of Six paths an ultimatum. Though it would become apparent that the latter would not be heeding his warning.

Hagoromo took up a ready position, his grim expression unchanging.

"I _will not_ stop myself from doing what is _right_ Naruto. Know this, even if you are stronger than me at this point, I will ensure that the errors you are bound to make will not go unpunished." the Otsutsuki replied.

What is right...

 ** _What is right?!_**

Despite being completely aware that Hagoromo had nothing but good intentions in opposing him he felt his anger boil even further when he claimed his resistance was _right_.

Hidden behind all this anger, all this disdain for the person whom claimed to be a Sage he felt...

Disappointed.

Not unlike how a parent would feel upon finding out his child had committed a crime and was unwilling to admit his mistake. As this thought resonated within him he felt saddened, this feeling that soon overpowered all the rage he had upon hearing Hagoromo's senseless stubbornness.

Though thought was the only extent of his reaction to what Hagoromo had said, as what had happened seemed too much like a blur, as the strange auto-pilot sensation of his body returned. A faint trance returned as he and Hagoromo engaged in a fight to overpower the other.

The clashing of six truth-seeking balls against ten yielded a predictable result, the sheer number superiority destroyed Hagoromo's, Naruto felt his body fought with skills that were not his own, martial arts that seemed outlandish...almost ancient. Hagoromo, used to having superiority in power continued to be overwhelmed by the sheer skill that the seemingly younger man had been using against him.

He inevitably won against the chakra construct, with his hand now firmly grasping the seemingly ethereal form of the Otsutsuki whom was now struggling in his vice-like grip.

Through this trance, words came out from his mouth, directed towards Hagoromo. Words that were not of his own mind.

"You have done enough Hagoromo, accept that what you have done was a mistake with dignity and allow me to remedy that mistake without your needless meddling." he heard himself speak.

A voice that held power, a voice that demanded obedience.

A familiar voice.

A voice that was now much more forlorn as he heard himself speaking to Hagoromo with a gentler...more quiet voice.

"You have disappointed me my son...now return to Samsara before you err further. The legacy you left on the Elemental Nations have done more than enough damage."

What he said shock him as well as confuse him, the same went to Hagoromo whose eyes widened as his struggle weakened.

Though before Hagoromo could form any sort of response to what he said, Naruto felt a familiar surge of Rikudo chakra. Hagoromo's chakra body in turn started to lose some of its integrity as his grip around the Otsutsuki's ethereal neck tightened.

 **Ningendo**

With that his grip tightened with enough force to break a person's neck. Hagoromo's chakra constructed body lost all its integrity upon the deed causing it to disperse. He knew that Hagoromo had been banished from the material world, thereby returning to the cycle of Samsara. Doing what he did yielded no pleasure, but was was necessary, if at the very least to allow him to complete this ritual.

With the obstacle now gone and a brief pause, he could now focus back on what he had to do.

The Gedo Mazo needed the last fragment of Shinju before it would be unlocked, the last bijuu.

His body continued to move involuntarily as he continued the ritual, the very familiar seal on his belly that housed the Kyuubi now started to light up beneath his clothing almost as if acknowledging the thoughts and the intent of its holder.

As this happened, the statue of the outer path responded in tandem with Naruto's intent much like the seal that housed the Kyuubi. The closed mouth of the beastial statue opened, purple energy could be seen within the large maw.

With this, Naruto breathed in deeply, his body preparing itself for what was about to come.

 **Gedo Mazo: Kusari**

As if following his command, four purple chakra chains emerged from the gaping maw that was the Statue's mouth, with each chain constricting each of his limb.

If Naruto had been in a mild trance before, the sensation that came to him at this very moment was more than enough to bring him back to reality.

Pain, pain so excruciating that he had to hold back a scream. Despite being aware of what awaited him the moment he conjured the Demonic Statue's chakra-suppressing chains, no amount of preparation could help control the agony of being victim to its grasp. Naruto however had to persevere a little longer, he cannot allow himself to be overwhelmed by the sensation.

He could now feel a very _violent_ pull coming from his navel, akin to having his guts being ripped out from his body. Red chakra started to slowly seep out from the seal on this stomach, and into the gaping maw of the statue.

In time larger and larger amounts of bijuu chakra started to leave the confines of the seal, and it was at this point where Naruto felt the agony reach its peak. It felt as if his soul was being reaved from him. However it did not happen, despite the sensation he felt, the statue seemed...careful to ensure that only the bijuu chakra was to be absorbed.

As the final remnants of the Kyuubi chakra had been absorbed by Gedo Mazo, the chains that constricted him dematerialised. A wave a relief rushed him as he was suddenly freed from all the pain that had nearly overwhelmed him moments ago.

The seal that held the bijuu now completely dissipated. There was in fact no indication that there was even a seal on his navel. He did not need to think hard to acknowledge that the Kyuubi is no longer sealed within him, but rather reabsorbed by the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. Given his nature, he was unsurprised to an extent that he survived the extraction process, albeit the pain he experienced as a result was not something he looked forward to experiencing again.

Given time to reorient himself, he now shifted attention to the Gedo Mazo. Unlike when he first started the process of transferring all bijuu chakra, the once seemingly dead and inanimate statue now radiated an ungodly amount of chakra. He could see cracks on the statue's surface, bright purple chakra glowing from between said cracks.

Naruto knew that the Gedo Mazo was losing its integrity, its contents now far too excessive and unstable to remain confined into its comparatively small vessel. This was the sign he needed...this was the sign that he could now complete what he has come here to do...

 _I do not want the Shinju's power_

The familiar voice of Kaguya rang in his head though _Naruto_ knew not when he heard it. In spite of that, he did not question the words.

 _...when you free me, I do not want to drag it along with me any longer._

That was what he needed to do.

But indeed the question had be _how_.

As he recalled, consuming a God Fruit was irreversible...the body that ingested it was forever bound to the Shinju's power, or rather it has become the physical embodiment of Shinju.

As for whether the spirit of the person whom ingested the fruit had been bound to Shinju however, he was not sure.

Perhaps that was the answer he needed...

Separate the soul of Kaguya Otsutsuki from her body...

But then where will her soul go to?

 _you are the Rikudo Sennin now_

Once again Kaguya's voice rang clear in his head, what did she mean by that? Why was holding the power of the Sage of Six Paths important?

The answer came to him in mere seconds.

Naruto looked at the smooth floor that is the chamber in the centre of the moon.

The rippled seal...

How could he not have realised?

Creation of all Things was the solution to the problem he faced.

As he came to this discovery, one of the Truth-seeking balls that he had conjured in his fight against Hagoromo moved from his back to his front.

Had the smooth metallic sphere been a sentient being...it would not doubt be eyeing its conjurer almost curiously.

Said conjurer certainly had his undivided attention on the lone truth-seeking ball in front of him, in deep contemplation as the dim purple energy that surrounded the metallic sphere provided lighting alongside the Gedo Mazo.

After a short moment of deep thought, Naruto breathed a deep sigh once again.

"I hope this works..." Naruto whispered to himself, as he muttered those words he started to channel immense amounts of chakra, an amount sufficient to properly begin his jutsu.

Both his palms lighted up with a flame-like chakra. A bright white flame burned brightly on his left palm representing Yang chakra, whilst a deep black burned on his right which represented Yin chakra.

He raised his palm which bore the bright white fire towards the still floating truth-seeking ball, and just as the white flame touched the surface of the sphere Naruto's voice rang in the large chamber.

 **Yoton: Gedo (1)**

He shoved the white flame into the truth-seeking ball, allowing the materialised yang chakra encompass the sphere's form. In time, the purple glow of the truth-seeking ball started to fade, until there was no trace of the Rikudo chakra was apparent on its surface.

The sphere soon started to lose its integrity, no longer did it bear any resemblance to a sphere as it started to morph into a liquid-metal like state, its form in a constant flux for a short while.

The formlessness of the once truth-seeking ball remained in its ever-changing state but it soon became apparent that it started to take a different, much clearer shape.

A much more humanoid shape.

The transformation when it begun was swift, limbs started to form rapidly and in short time Naruto laid witness to a human-like form. There were no apparent characteristics of the humanoid shape, its blank genderless visage coupled with its distinctively metallic surface made it reminiscent to a sculpture. The form stood in front of him, unmoving...soulless.

With the exception of its eyes.

A rippled purple akin to his own, albeit with no indication of life in them. It merely a blank stare that gave further indicator that the...thing facing him was merely an empty husk.

Naruto could hear breathing however...almost as if the form in front of him had been given life, but had yet to be given sentience. The _being_ in front of him was unfinished and he knew what else it needed before it was rendered finished.

Upon witnessing the partially complete transformation, Naruto now raised his right palm where the onyx flame burned deeply. He directed his palm towards the now cracked Gedo Mazo.

 **Gedo Mazo: Kai**

With those words along, whatever integrity the statue had possessed crumbled, cracks started to spread across the stone behemoth and in mere moments, the statue exploded into fragments which quickly dissipated into dust, and creating another massive quake within the moon's chamber. Naruto and the now living husk remained unaffected as a barely visible barrier prevented the debris from touching him and the metallic construct. All that was left of what had been the Demonic Statue of the Outer path was a massive orb of chakra that burned an ever-changing combination of hues.

From the mass that made up the entirety of Shinju, a wisp of amber coloured energy seemed to drain itself from massive construct and slowly made its way towards Naruto's outstretched palm where the black flame continued to burn. This process took a good few seconds, and as the seconds dragged on, more and more of the amber energy had been absorbed by the Yin chakra of Naruto's palm.

In time the black flame started to brighten and adopt the hue of the energy it had been absorbing. A vivid amber colour that seemed all too familiar...a feeling of fondness rushed through him but he did not allow that idle feeling to disrupt his jutsu.

He knew what laid on his right palm, and he had felt relief set in as his expectation had been met. It was the first time he had done something as...complicated as this, and he was very much happy to see his gamble yielding the result he needed.

Yin Release allowed him to extract Kaguya's spirit from the mass of chakra that made up the Shinju. He did not know how successful the process would be but it was now shown that his effort paid off.

There as one last thing that needed to be done, before he can truly breathe a sigh of relief.

His attention returned to the truth-seeking ball that now bore the a levitating humanoid semblance, Naruto took in a deep breath as the construct continued to gaze at him with its soulless rippled orbs.

 **Inton: Tensei (2)**

Naruto planted his right palm, the palm that held the spirit of Kaguya Otsutsuki into the motionless but undoubtedly living husk, where its heart was located. The integration of spirit and vessel took close to a minute as the ember coloured flame slowly spread its way across the metallic form of the husk.

It would come to pass however, as the spirit accepted its container without protest and there had been no more sign that Naruto's right palm contained any traces of Yin chakra or the soul of Kaguya.

For awhile nothing happened, the construct remained motionless and its eyes remained blank. As the time pass however, Naruto could see that the formless humanoid began to morph once again as its eyes closed.

Its arms and legs started to shrink slightly, taking a more delicate form. The upper body of the vessel became more curvy, and its chest increased in size, adopting an unmistakably feminine shape. The metallic colour and texture of the vessel shifted to those of unblemished human skin, smooth and fair. The once faceless vessel now started to adorn a visage of a woman, someone whom he had never seen before yet gave him a overwhelming sense of familiarity.

Her heart-shaped face and her beauty had become much more apparent, as the transformation ended with long ashen black hair forming on the vessel whom was very much a woman.

As the transformation reached its end, the woman was no longer held afloat by Rikudo chakra thereby allowing the still unconscious person to fall. Naruto rushed towards her to prevent the woman from falling to the chamber ground.

With her firmly in his arms he could finally see what he had done...

What was once his truth-seeking ball, was now the new form of Kaguya Otsutsuki.

His power over Samsara, reincarnated the once Rabbit Goddess into a very much human-looking person. He would have been puzzled by the visage she now adorned, but subonsciously...he knew why her current incarnation was the way it is.

Immediately upon such a clear view of her new body he had been enthralled by her beauty. Though he did not feel disgusted, nor did he feel any sense of discomfort...his thoughts seemed _right_ ,

Seeing beauty in the manifestation of a woman whom had almost killed him in the past

All these seemed very much natural.

Though as quickly as those thoughts resonated in his mind, he quickly suppressed them as the woman in his arms seemed to stir.

His guard returned, and with it apprehension and uncertainty. Despite what he subconsciously felt, his conscious mind reminded him that this woman did try very hard to kill him when he last saw her.

Vivid amber eyes could now be clearly seen, those orbs so bright and sharp that he might have wondered if they could emanate a glow of their own. Said eyes immediately zeroed in on his own with so much intensity that for a moment he seemed to skip a breath.

Looking at her hawk-like eyes alone told Naruto that she was certainly far from the insane Rabbit Goddess that he had come to think she was. Rather she was the opposite...intelligent eyes that seemed to look deep into his soul.

In time those amber eyes darted across the chamber, as if examining its surroundings. He let out a breath that he knew he was holding, a small tinge of relief as those intense orbs no longer focused on him.

Soon enough those eyes looked downwards, before widening slightly.

The woman opened her mouth...

a soft, almost sultry voice could be heard.

A quiet but firm voice...

"With the power and the knowledge of the Sage of Six Paths...and the ingenuity of using a truth-seeking ball to transmigrate a soul to...you couldn't even attempt to put some clothes on me?"

Naruto certainly did not expect those to be the first words to come out of her mouth.

Those words momentarily confused him, but it did not take very long for him to realise what she said.

Kaguya Otsutsuki had a new body, and a very much _naked_ body. In his focus on ensuring the ritual had been successful, he completely omitted this rather glaring omission.

He fought back a blush...sputtering as he attempted to respond. Admittedly he appreciated the view that was given to him, it had been extremely embarrassing...

Yet to Kaguya's credit, she seemed unaffected by it, if fact her only reaction to this situation was a faint, amused smirk.

One that held no malice.

But rather affection.

* * *

 **(1) Yang Release: Outer Path**

 **(2) Yin Release: Reincarnation**

 **AN: If there really was ever any doubt as to what what Kaguya's new identity might be in Sage and the Four Maidens, hope this clears it up a little. Not sure if it's all that clear but meh.**

 **Hope this chappie turned out fine, lemme know what ya think**


	6. Grim Reminder

**AN: Here you go. It's a pretty important chappie for this fic.**

"Speech"

 **"Jutsu/Empowered Speech** "

 _Subconscious/Thoughts/Memories_

 **DISCLAIMER: All characters, and source material are intellectual property of their respective owners.**

* * *

 **Imperishable Night**

He continued to blush up a storm, not unlike a hormonal teenager which he had been very convinced had grown out of for a good many years. It was quite a wonder as to how he could possibly return to that very uncomfortable phase of his life just from merely witnessing and holding on to the naked body of what was in essence his truth-seeking ball given life.

Technically...as of now Kaguya is also his Outer Path, but that was neither this nor there.

Oh yes, give Kaguya some clothes before the situation gets a little more uncomfortable...for him.

With prompt use of YinYang Release, a thick wisp of red mist started to form around the Kaguya's new body. The woman in turn gazed at the mist curiously, though the half-smile she gave him remained.

The mist surrounding her started to take a more tangible form, and in time transformed into a form-fitting red shinobi battle dress with flowing yellow trimmings. What was once her smooth bare arms were now covered by red-yellow sleeves that reached to the upper part of both her arms. **(1)**

Kaguya appraised what she now wore for a brief moment, moving her arms almost experimentally to determine how well her new body functioned. Seemingly satisfied, she then lifted herself from Naruto's grasp without much effort, but very much to his surprise.

It was an entirely new body, constructed from material that would not normally be used to create a living vessel. Considering the amount of time Kaguya remained sealed in the Gedo Mazo, he had been expecting the now freed Otsutsuki to take some some to re-orient herself and take slow steps to get used to the motor functions of her new body, let alone standing up without much effort on her part.

Naruto's shock dissipated soon after, he should not be too surprised after all given what Kaguya had been capable of, with or without the Shinju.

Kaguya had her eyes on him again, and this time it did not contain any trace of her inquisitive or calculative demeanour. Instead Naruto could see gratitude, and strangely enough..a deep longing.

"Thank you Mikado..." was all she said at that moment.

Naruto was again startled by the sincerity in her voice, and the genuine smile that adorned her face continued to fuel his shock. As far as Naruto Uzumaki knew, this was not the Kaguya Otsutsuki that he would ever imagine to witness.

For what was before a visage of apathy and wrath was now replaced with something else. Something much more passionate...

For some reason, there was a lump in his throat, as he struggled to find a response to her sincere show of thanks.

"I-it is the right thing to do...after all these years." he stuttered as he momentarily mustered some words to respond. In his mild disoriented state he did not notice the smile Kaguya wore widened slightly.

Naruto continued to form words, trying so very hard to lift himself from this state of embarrassment.

"I...I can understand why...why you did what you did Kaguya. All those years you knew what would happen if humanity was given powers that they were never ready to wield...and why you made the world hate you the way they did." Naruto continued, his voice still uncertain.

"It took me over a century to realise that. I suppose I'm sorry that it wasn't sooner..."

He apologised, however he knew whatever he said would not reverse his mistakes. Indeed his was well aware his guilt should not have been as deep and scathing as he would reasonably expect to feel. No one deserved millennia being sealed in a statue, locked deep within the moon. But somehow his guilt, the stabbing of his conscience went deeper than that, almost as if the very idea that he had caused _her_ so much torture and loneliness had been too unbearable...a personal wrong.

An unforgivable sin.

Kaguya looked to the side, her response softer, almost a whisper but not really so.

"To be fair, seeking the complete subjugation of the earth isn't exactly a redeeming factor on my part. I suppose I am glad that I have a breath of new life to begin with in a way." she replied.

That did nothing to lessen his guilt, in fact it merely worsened it. A feeling that he had a growing sense of confusion.

Recalling the years experiencing bouts of memories that were not his, and dreams of being a person whom he knew not who it was...

Memories of the woman in front of him, and a name that was so familiar.

He knew he had to ask her, the woman in front of him must know the answer to the questions that had plagued him for a whole century.

"Who is Mikado, Kaguya?" Naruto finally voiced out the question he held on to for the many years since the very first moment the name came to him. Kaguya froze at the question for a short moment, turning her head towards him slowly with an impassive expression. There was more to it however, for in her eyes he could now see an emotion that once again he would never expect the stone-cold Rabbit Goddess to hold.

Sorrow and forlorn, as well as _hurt_.

An emotion that caused him to bristle, as he almost subconsciously wanted to avoid causing to her. A part of him wanted to pull back on the question.

No...

He could not help it, he needed to know why he felt the way he did whenever his thought lingered on the once Rabbit Goddess...

And the rage he felt when Hagoromo did what he did, and said what he said. The fact that in his daze he referred to the old spirit as "son".

Kaguya sighed softly upon being asked that question,

"Someone I knew...a long time ago, longer than I knew Hagoromo and Hamura..."

"Why then? Why did you call _me_ Mikado?" Naruto pressed on. The woman in front of him continued to falter, hesitant...unwilling to persist on this line of conversation. His desire to learn the truth overriding whatever discomfort it was causing on her however.

"Please tell me Kaguya, who is Mikado, and why did you call me Mikado?!" Naruto asked again, he felt desperate...he wanted so much an explanation as to why there were times that he did not act like himself, there were times where strange feelings that seemed so foreign and unexplained surged through him alongside the memories of a life he did not live.

"You were Mikado." Kaguya replied simply, a lone tear falling from her bright amber eyes. Naruto was rendered silent from the sudden answer, he was shocked by what he heard...but he could not exactly say that he did not expect it.

Despite the discomfort he knew she experienced by his hands, he could see no anger on the reincarnation of the Rabbit Goddess. All he saw was sorrow.

"Who _was_ Mikado you ask?" she chuckled slighly, before her eyes focused on to his again. The intensity behind them returned, unrestrained emotion and passion could be seen behind them.

"Mikado was the only man I loved and will always love." Naruto once again taken aback by the honesty of Kaguya's reply.

"Mikado had been everything to me...and I would destroy the world...burn everything to cinders for his sake." Kaguya no close the gap between Naruto and herself, in time whatever personal space they had between themselves had been completely closed.

Naruto could once again feel the closeness between himself and Kaguya, his heart raced as he realised how close they were to each other.

"You were Mikado, and now you are Naruto Uzumaki. Now you know why I made that slip of the tongue." She finished, her answer simple...blunt even.

There was a pause as Naruto mulled over the revelation, a long expected revelation...but one nonetheless.

He was the reincarnation of Mikado...

The reincarnation of Kaguya Otsutsuki's one and only lover.

Samsara really had quite a way on the inner workings of fate and destiny, had it been any other situation, he would have allowed himself to release a sardonic chuckle. But this was hardly the time for that.

He _was_ Mikado, Kaguya said as much. It did not change the fact that he _is_ now Naruto Uzumaki.

And he probably will remain Naruto Uzumaki, for as long as he could see.

"You said it yourself Kaguya, I was Mikado. But I am-."

"No longer him. I know.", Kaguya interrupted him before he could complete the sentence. As she said it, she pulled back from him, creating more space between them.

He felt the urge to close his eyes, and he did so. He felt the urge to shield himself from the hurt that would have likely been clear on Kaguya's face.

"You really think existing for as long as I have would make me ignorant of reality? Willfully blind?" Kaguya replied, her voice strained despite the calm bravado she was attempting to adopt.

"W-well...he is the past, I am no longer him. As much as I may want to be him, I cannot...I'm sorry Kaguya. Please do not call me Mikado any longer...I am not the man you knew." Naruto continued.

A pregnant pause, before she finally answered.

"I would not expect any less..." it was a forced response, barely restrained sorrow beneath her calm facade. He did not want to say what he said as he could feel a part of him wept for the hurt that Kaguya must have felt.

But he had to draw a line, whether he was Mikado or not it ultimately meant one thing. It was all in the past, and he could not _discard_ who he currently is in favour of a person who was long dead.

Naruto...despite laying this fact bare, could now only lower his head, unwilling to look Kaguya in the eyes. He knew not how the once Rabbit Goddess would take this declaration...

rage?

fury?

spite?

Some emotion in between?

He was not keen on knowing, but he certainly expected something along those lines and he would not blame her for feeling that way.

Which was why it came as a surprise as he felt a soft hand on his shoulder. He broke out of his stupor and finally mustered the courage to look up, only to see Kaguya looking at him intently. No anger, no fury, no loathing or hate.

Renewed confidence, despite resignation being apparent in her expression.

"Stop moping Naruto, I believe there is more important matters to attend to isn't there? That's the other reason you are here after all." upon hearing Kaguya changing the subject, he quickly regained his composure and nodded at her suggestion. Inwardly he was surprised by how well she took all of that. Or perhaps she was merely hiding how she felt behind a facade of strength and nonchalance, he did not have time to think it over.

Kaguya removed her hand from his shoulder and turned to face the mass of chakra that is the Shinju. He could not discern what was running through her head as she looked on to the source of godlike energy that was kept barely stable by the Banbutsu Sozo seal.

After slightly over a minute, Kaguya broke the silence.

"All these power in front of us, whatever do you plan on doing with it Naruto?" a question, one that threw him off. Naruto half expected that the ages as the Rabbit Goddess would have given her an idea what to do with this near endless source of power.

"I would have expected you to tell me what I should do with the power of Shinju." Naruto replied honestly.

Kaguya moved her head slightly, staring back at him with a lone eye, "I have been stuck with this mass of chakra for ages and it has given nothing but torture, I'm not at all interested in having control over it again thank you."

Turning back her head towards the mass, "Shinju is your responsibility now Naruto. You are the Sage of Six Paths after all..."

The past minutes...in a civil conversation with a woman whom once could have completely destroyed the Elemental Nations continued to surprise him. His rational mind continued to expect a degree of power hunger, or insanity that she seemed to emulate during the Fourth Great War. Yet what he now lay witness was someone whom was very much lucid...weary despite the quiet confidence in her demeanour and voice.

She was so very ready and willing to give up on the powers that could turn any person into a God had they so desire.

He however did not have all the time in the world to contemplate on expectation versus reality, there was still the pressing matter on Shinju...

And the Fifth Great war.

"I still need _advice_ Kaguya. What do I do with it?" Naruto pressed for a recommendation from the individual with the most first-hand experience of the God Tree's power.

He was about to explain why he had to make a decision as soon as possible, the fact that a-

"There's a war underway down there isn't it?" Kaguya replied before he could complete his thoughts. He merely answered with a yes.

"and you need to know how the Shinju can be used to put and end to this war, and any other future wars isn't that right?" she continued her question to which he once again could say nothing more than a 'yes'.

He heard her sigh in response.

"Lets get this out of the way...are you still interested in the Infinite Tsukuyomi?" Kaguya asked bemusedly.

Naruto answered on instinct, "No! Definitely not!"

She gave a chuckle in response, "Are you sure you won't consider it, it is after all...the quickest way to end the war."

Over the years he thought the deed to be abhorrent, yet more recently...

Despite the strong reaction he had against that proposition, he acknowledged the _merit_ of the act. It was indeed the quickest and most effective way of grinding the Great War to a halt. Yet he could not quite bring himself to completely destroy the minds of all of humanity.

And even if he did so, how long could he hold it until it was broken again?

"I am sure Kaguya."

Kaguya shrugged, "thought as much, well you are the one making the decision not me." There was no spite in her words, it was a simple statement of fact. Though he was unable to gauge her reaction given that her face was turned away from him.

Naruto expected a different suggestion, he was however met with a question instead.

"Do you want the God Tree's power Naruto? To wield it yourself?" Kaguya asked, a question that puzzled him by the suddenness of it.

"No." he answered simply after a short moment of contemplation, he never wanted the power of Shinju...even though his apparent ancestry bestowed upon him its residual power...and some side effects that came with it.

"What would you _want_ to do with it then?" she continued with her line of questioning.

Kaguya now turned to face him, her brow raised quizzically, expecting his answer.

He was unsure as to the direction of her questions but he wanted to see where this direction would lead to, so he spoke his mind.

"If I had any say in it, I would rather the earth reclaim the God Tree. Let nature itself, armed with its power be the judge of the living." was his answer.

"Let nature itself be in control of Shinju?" Kaguya asked, her brow raised.

Naruto remained silent, yet nodded.

There was a short pause after his response, though not for long as a knowing smile crept up to Kaguya's face.

"Looks like you have your answer Naruto." she replied.

The answer puzzled him, what did she mean by that? How could allowing the earth to reclaim Shinju be the solution to ending the wars? How could doing so be the catalyst for peace?

Drowning in a sea of questions that formed in his head, Naruto replayed his answer to Kaguya over and over again...attempting to make sense of his response.

It was then he a spark of realisation came to him

 _Let nature itself, armed with its power be the judge of the living_

It seemed like a figure of speech when he first spoke it, nothing more than idealistic puff. Though as he contemplated on the words over and over again...it started to make sense.

When the first shots were fired, and when flesh met metal...the earth never stopped weeping, wailing...screaming in agony as its very surface was scorched by jutsus of every element, alongside the conventional weapons of mass destruction developed by a warmongering people.

The earth is helpless against the destruction caused by its inhabitants, and will remain so until the war ends...whether it be through truce between the nations...or until the lives of countless perish.

As the moment of clarity hit him, Naruto knew at that very moment the best way to ensure that Shinju's power would never fall to the wrong hands, whilst also bringing about the end of this war and the wars to come.

Kaguya's smile widened slightly about the same time as he discovered the answer to the problem.

Naruto started to move, approaching the accumulated chakra of the Shinju held within the seal, Kaguya moved aside as he walked past her. Now as close as he was towards the godlike chakra, he felt himself pause for but a moment.

His uncle's words now rang through his head.

Humanity needed a constant reminder, one that would never weaken nor vanish.

Even if for but a short moment they forget...they will experience pain.

Through pain they will remember once again.

And when they remember, can there finally be a lasting peace.

His chakra flared, and as it did the tomoes of the Banbutsu Sozo seal started to spin. A violent quake once again filled the chamber, but this one had been much more severe than the others.

A portion of the chamber started to crack, and with each crack parts of the moon's centre started to fall off, allowing the vacuum of space to enter.

A gaping hole could now be seen in the chamber, and beyond that hole was the clear form of the planet that had been the home to humanity for countless ages. There were fires on the surface of earth as the war continued to rage on.

Even from the moon, Naruto could see everything...could _feel_ everything.

As the chamber started to turn to rubble and the unforgiving space started to seep in, Naruto manifested his **Susanoo** again as protection against the vacuum.

Though unlike the Susanoo he manifested before, this one had been much bigger. Large enough to encompass himself, as well as Kaguya. Its size enough to tower over the compressed mass of Shinju chakra that was now entering in a state of flux.

Both his palms flared with Yin and Yang chakra, as he directed the flames towards the purple chakra mass that is the Shinju.

 **Banbutsu Sozo: Tenchikaibyaku (2)**

Naruto could now feel a strong pull that emanated from the shifting mass of chakra that was the Shinju. Though unlike prior where the Chakra of the surrounding Bijuu and himself were being absorbed by the Gedo Mazo, it was now absorbing chakra from the earth itself. An overwhelming amount of Nature Chakra being drawn by the moon from the earth and ultimately channeled towards massive Chakra construct with his body as the conduit.

As the massive influx of nature chakra was pulled by the moon, flowing through his body and merging with Shinju's chakra, he felt everything. The agony caused by the uncontrolled destruction of the earth.

And hate so deep and uncontrollable...

The negative emotions felt by the participants of the Fifth Great war had affected nature's chakra, Naruto could feel its oppressive energy flowing through him and out,

It was suffocating, and Naruto could feel his very body being strained by the almost tainted nature chakra. He could hear himself groan...and Kaguya groaned with him. It had pained him to realise that given her connection with him as his Outer Path, the sensations felt by the creator of the path would spillover to his path.

Hence whatever agony he had been feeling right now, she felt it with no less intensity.

With each influx of nature chakra that continued to bind nature itself with the godlike power of the Shinju, _changes_ started to take place to it.

Oh so very clearly did he notice the progressive change...the mass of chakra shifted from purple, to a dark red hue

And finally setttled to a black fiery mass, darker than the flames of Amaterasu.

The banbutsu sozo seal underneath Shinju's chakra changed along with it. Gone was the Rikudo Seal and its YinYang Pupil. It had instead transformed into the familiar pattern of Juubi's eye, the seal glowed a scarlet hue.

Naruto knew that Shinju was now completely bound to the earth itself and the outcome of this union filled him with dread.

The sins of the Shinobi Age was unmistakeable, the endless bloodshed and atrocities committed by people against each other and the earth itself left nothing but malice in the energy of nature itself. The cruelty of its inhabitants in turn made the earth cruel, and when the near limitless power of Shinju returned to the earth...

Humanity would be at nature's mercy, and nature will not show mercy.

Envy, sadness, loneliness, hatred, wrath...

All these thoughts and feelings that earth's inhabitants use as a catalyst to inflict pain on each other and the very ground they walk on...the earth would return it with no less wrath.

He _knew_ what would become of Shinju the moment it returned to the earth. It would be just like Juubi all over again.

However unlike Juubi, Kaguya would not longer be in control of it...it will _not hold back._

As these thoughts resonated in Naruto's mind, he felt his legs buckle, his arms shaking. His whole body became unwilling to go through with this deed.

He began to hesitate...

He no longer was the idealistic teenager who dreamt of being the future Hokage that much is true, but he still very much allowed emotions to fuel his acts, his sentimentality to hold him back from doing what needed to be done.

Giving the Shinju back to nature was the _right_ thing to do, yet despite all of these Naruto could not help but second-think himself.

The moment the Shinju returns to earth...everything will change.

It might just spell the end of the Elemental Nations, Shinobi and non-shinobi alike would face horror unimaginable. Could he live with himself knowing that he condemned humanity to such an eternal fate?

He wanted to scream, he felt helpless...oh so helpless that despite the power he held and the power he now could hold, he could not change the vary nature of humanity itself.

There was no better outcome, for he had tried all of them.

His inner conflicts and growing despair were however halted as he felt a hand softly touch his shoulder, gently and soothingly. He could hear Kaguya's voice, soft as before but no less resonating. He could not help but listen intently.

"I have absolute faith in you Naruto. Even if the rest of the world questions what you do, I will not."

Those very familiar words, words he heard from a long time ago...words that he once said to someone very precious to him.

Said to the woman whom now used the same words to him.

Naruto looked back towards Kaguya. A warm smile adorned her face...and he could the whirlpool of emotions that filled them.

"Why?" he asked Kaguya, desperate for her answer, desperate of why she felt what she felt.

He felt Kaguya hug his back, a gesture that surprised him as his body stiffened. Though soon enough it relaxed, subconsciously accepting it.

"You know the answer to that question well enough Naruto...you _know_ what must be done...and I will support you, for all eternity if need be."

Those words rang through his head, the apathetic and cynical Rabbit Goddess...so willing to put faith in him.

At that very moment his shaking stopped and his mind cleared, Naruto realised that her words of encouragement were enough to steel his resolve. As shocking as it may be her faith in his decision was all he needed to quash his doubts.

Naruto now turned back to the earth's embodiment of Shinju, gone were his reservations. A grim determination now took its place.

Kaguya freed herself from him, giving the Sage the needed space to complete the process.

With the towering form his **Susanoo** , Naruto pointed his palms outwards, the fiery behemoth following suit.

His Chakra surged again, and now had been directed outward through his palms.

 **Shinra Tensei**

Its power amplified by his **Susanoo,** a resounding crack akin to thunder now filled the chamber, as it completely shattered from the strength of the almighty push.

So powerful that a portion of the moon itself shattered into countless fragments.

Facing the black mass of Chakra, Naruto started to form three handseals in tandem with his Susanoo and ended it with a palm strike that landed on the seemingly intangible ball of fire, the mass that made up Shinju's chakra started to split into many smaller fragments that numbered the tens to hundreds.

All fragments of the Shinju now directed towards the earth.

 **Rikudo: Tengai Shinsei (3)**

The fragments of Shinju were now launched towards it.

Naruto and Kaguya watched as Shinju's fragments headed towards the earth at terrible speeds, the distance between them and the godlike chakra going further until they started their descent towards the Elemental Nations.

They could see the multiple collisions, as the mass of flames spread across the nations...yet nothing was burned. But rather the mass of flames were absorbed by earth itself.

There was no turning back.

The God Tree's power was now the earth's power, nature held absolute control over it. Never would he want to use the power of the God Tree, but he did not regret the decision he made.

It was the best he had.

"What next oh Sage of Six Paths?" Kaguya asked.

Naruto grabbed on to Kaguya's waist, eliciting an uncharacteristic yelp from the woman.

"First we get back down there..." Naruto started

"Then I will fix Hagoromo's mistake."

The Sage channeled his chakra again.

 **Tendo**

* * *

 **Grim Eclipse**

Fires erupted across once green fields, and trees were either in flames or burned husks...

It had been scorched earth, earth that had been filled by the remains of dead men. Blood seeped into its ruined soil, and the stench of death filled the air.

There were still countless of men...all armed with knives, swords, firearms and other terrible weapons...most of them bloodied as they fought without mind for themselves or others.

They were fighting each other...killing each other...they were nothing more than vicious beasts, that even beasts themselves would have trouble matching.

Blood curling screams rang out...roars of bloodlust filled the air as the sound of death overwhelmed the ears of those present. There was so much hate in the land, and it seemed never-ending.

Though all of a sudden the bloodshed stopped, as if time itself had grounded to a halt. The Shinobi, and the conscripts of various sides of the war paused as the night sky had for a short moment shifted from the familiar darkness to a deep red hue.

Red mist, akin to steam started to rise up from the scorched earth across the battlefield, across the elemental nations. All heading towards a single target high up in the skies.

Every participant looked up, to see the once pale white moon changing to a vivid crimson. Alongside the deep hue, a rippled pattern with three tomoes in each ripple formed as the mist of red continue to rush towards the moon.

Humanity watched on, almost hypnotised; deep down however, apprehension started to form. So strong that their malice towards each other had been silenced.

The almost surreal incident took a mere few minutes, and in time the red mist seemed to have been completely drained by the moon with it slowly reverting back to its pale-white visage.

Almost as if nothing had happened, as if the planetary scale anomaly had been a figment of their imagination.

Though whatever doubt they held would be very rudely destroyed, as sound akin to hundreds of cracks of thunder taking place simultaneously resounded across the nations. Shinobi, conscripts and civilians alike covered their ears at the sudden ringing noise.

When each and everyone of them regained their bearings, and look towards the anomaly that had been the moon, they would lay witness to an image that would remain etched in their minds.

The moon, fractured into countless pieces.

From the partially destroyed moon, they would also lay witness to a rain of black masses akin to meteors falling towards the earth's surface.

At that very moment, apprehension led to mass panic as the armies of the five nations completely disengaged upon witnessing the beginning of a massive meteor shower. Most braced for the impact by using their chakra in whatever limited defensive capabilities they had, whilst others started to take flight attempting to distance themselves with the likely points of impact of said meteors.

In mere seconds, the meteor-like masses indeed collided with the the surface of the earth. Unlike meteors however, they did not cause widespread destruction nor create massive craters as they crashed. Rather their collision burst the black constructs, spreading a ominous black mist across the lands.

Shinobi and civilians alike shielded their eyes as a smog-like blackness filled their vision as it rushed past them.

Tens of similarly sized meteors crash into the earth, each one of them spreading their own black mist far and wide.

Some of the weaker individuals were blown back by the force of the collision between the semi-tangible constructs and the earth, but most Shinobi had no trouble rooting themselves and soldiering through the brunt of the force.

In a matter of a few minutes, the last of the masses have crashed unto the earth's surface, the mist began clear up as the anomaly came to pass, seeping into the very earth itself.

Shinobi and non-shinobi alike lay witness to the product of the anomaly, bearing witness to individual constructs of varying sizes surrounding them in the hundreds of thousands. Each and every one in a constant state of flux.

Curiosity formed in the minds of those who witnessed these strange constructs, yet the now deep-seated apprehension and foreboding they have felt continued to intensify.

The Shinobi sensors were first to realise what these constructs were, and they were first to have felt terror like no other.

Chakra so filled with anger, and hate...draining the malice around it to fuel their forms

Chakra so thick and oppressive that being in such close contact to one threatened to break their minds.

The hundreds and thousands of constructs started to take a form, with each passing second did their form become much clearer.

The constructs now bore resemblance of beasts, and monsters of various sizes. All of them terrifying to behold that some of the weaker willed men started to tremble.

Adorning the faces of these beasts had been bone-white masks, which were a clear contrast to their pitch black bodies.

Finally, as every single mass took similar monstrous tangible forms, the empty sockets in the masks that represented their eyes lighted up in a pure crimson glow.

Eyes that were soulless, yet holding unrestrained wrath and blood-thirst. No one saw how the eyes bore the familiar rippled pattern they had witnessed on the moon not long ago before vanishing completely.

Bloodcurling howls and roars could be heard across the elemental nations, as each and every monstrous construct let loose against the nearest human in unison.

At that very moment they received a grim reminder.

No longer were humans the predators.

* * *

 **(1) Slightly tweaked version of Flashback Cinder's appearance**

 **(2) Creation of All Things: Creation of Heaven and Earth**

 **(3) Six Paths: Heaven Obstruction Quaking Star**

 **AN: It was meant to be a short chapter before the climax of sorts happens. Turned out longer and got pretty fuckin dark... The execution seems a little iffy but I'll just hope it's passable.**

 **All OOCs are intended**


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